The stakes are high in the case against six police officers charged in the death of a 26-year-old Baltimore resident.
Officer William Porter is the first city officer to stand trial for the death of Freddie Gray, who suffered a mysterious severed spine in the back of a police issued van. He faces charges of assault, manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
Officer Porter is accused of failing to provide medical attention for Gray during his 45-minute ride in detention. Gray was found unresponsive and died nearly a weak later. Protests erupted across the city and by the weekend of his funeral, violence broke out with scenes of burning buildings, destroyed police cars and looting.
"Everything is at stake. The future of the city is at stake," Police Commissioner Kevin Davis told the Associated Press ahead of Monday's court date.
Officer Porter is said to be chosen by prosecutors first to provide evidence that will convict the other five officers who will stand trial. Law experts have said that it will be much tougher to convict the officers if Officer Porter is acquitted.
Black Lives Matter protester DeRay McKeeson said that all eyes are on Baltimore trials.
“Everybody is interested in Freddie Gray. It’s one of the clearest indictments by a prosecutor," told the New York Times. I think people are looking at this as a bellwether case: Is it possible to convict the police?”
Duane “Shorty” Davis, a Baltimore based activist, agreed by saying that the jury's decision will "make or break the city."
“If it doesn’t go over well, what will Christmas be like? They’ll shut things down,” he told the AP. “If we have more riots, who will feel safe? The world is watching Baltimore.”
