A Baltimore judge on Tuesday ordered that jurors remain anonymous in the trial of a policeman charged in the death of a black man from an injury while in custody, an incident that triggered protests and rioting.
Officer William Porter, 26, is the first of six Baltimore officers to face trial separately over the death of Freddie Gray in April. His trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court is scheduled to start on Monday.
Judge Barry Williams denied a defense motion to sequester jurors, but agreed to have them stay anonymous to prevent potential coercion or attempts to sway them.
"Jurors are to remain anonymous and known only to the judge," lawyers and court staff, he said, citing intense publicity surrounding the case. Williams said 75 to 80 potential jurors would be called.
Gray, 25, died from a spinal injury suffered in the back of a police transport van following his arrest, sparking protests, rioting and looting in the largely black city. It also added fuel to a national debate on police treatment of minorities.
Police bundled Gray into the van while shackled and handcuffed. He was not put in a seat belt, and officers ignored his request for medical aid.
During a hearing on roughly a dozen motions that lasted about 30 minutes, Williams ruled the jury could see two videos, including one showing Gray being shackled and put in the van.
He also ruled that jurors could look inside the van. Williams denied a defense motion to bar evidence that failure to belt Gray in was negligence.
Porter is accused of assault, manslaughter, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. Charges against the other officers range from misconduct to second-degree murder.
Williams ruled that prosecutors will not be able to discuss the alleged illegality of Gray's arrest. He also denied a motion to limit the number of character witnesses for Porter.
Williams turned aside a motion by defense lawyer Gary Proctor to move the trial because of local anti-police sentiment as shown in a University of Baltimore survey.
"What you're saying is that because of one study, one study, I should not let the people of Baltimore do their job? Motion denied, sit down," Williams said.
Three of the officers, including Porter, are black, and three are white. Starting dates for the other trials run from Jan. 6 to March 9.
Baltimore agreed in September to pay a $6.4 million civil settlement to Gray's family.
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