The Baltimore Police van driver who transported Freddie Gray and was accused of giving him a “rough ride” that led to his fatal spinal injury was acquitted of all charges Thursday, including murder, manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr., whohad waived his right to a jury trial and opted to have the case decided by a judge, was the third officer to be tried in Gray’s death. He faced the most serious charges of any of the six officers indicted in the case, including second-degree depraved heart murder, three counts of manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
“The court finds there is insufficient evidence that the defendant gave or intended to give Mr. Gray a rough ride,” said Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams in his ruling, adding there was no “evidence presented at this trial that the defendant intended for any crime to happen.”
