A Baltimore police officer involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray, an African American man who later died in custody, has been acquitted of assault and other charges, raising questions about whether anyone will be held accountable for his death.
The verdict by a Baltimore judge yesterday found Officer Edward Nero not guilty of four misdemeanors: second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office.
The 25-year-old Gray was arrested April 12 last year after fleeing police, and suffered a broken spine while being transported in the back of a Baltimore police van, unsecured and with his hands and feet bound. He died a week later.
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Gray's treatment and death triggered violent riots in Maryland's largest city and fuelled a national debate about police brutality.
The six police officers being tried over his death -- three white, including Nero, and three African Americans, including a woman -- claim it was an accident.
The first case ended with a hung jury in December.
Nero, whose case is the second to come to court, chose to be tried by a judge rather than a jury.
Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams said that after he had carefully weighed all the evidence, "the verdict for each count is not guilty."
Nero, 30, appeared to wipe his eyes and hugged his attorneys after the verdicts were announced.
One of his lawyers said Nero and his family were "elated that this nightmare is finally over."
"The state's attorney for Baltimore city rushed to charge him, as well as the other five officers, completely disregarding the facts of the case and the applicable law," the attorney, Marc Zayon, said in a statement, according to the Baltimore Sun newspaper.
Williams should now reconsider the remaining cases "and dismiss their charges," he said.
"Like Officer Nero, these officers have done nothing wrong."
Williams is black, as are two-thirds of the people of Baltimore, including its Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
Although West Baltimore - the economically depressed area where Gray was arrested - was the scene of rioting and protests last year after his death, its streets were calm yesterday.
Outside the courthouse, around a dozen protesters greeted the verdict with chants of "No Justice, No Peace!" Police helicopters hovered overhead.
