Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams denied defense motions Wednesday to dismiss the charges against the officers involved in the Freddie Gray case and to remove State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and her office from the case.
Lawyers for the six officers argued that Mosby had personal and political motivations for bringing the charges and that she was in cahoots with her husband, City Councilman Nick Mosby.
Williams called those claims "troubling and condescending."
"Can she not think for herself?" he asked.
Gray died April 19 of a severe spinal cord injury suffered while in police custody. Officer Caesar Goodson, who drove the police van that took Gray to the Western District station, has been charged with second degree depraved heart murder. Lt. Brian Rice, Sgt. Alicia White and Officer William Porter are charged with manslaughter in the case and Officers Edward Nero and Garrett Miller are charged with second degree assault.
Williams also was bothered by that Mosby answered a reporter’s question about whether the officers cooperated with her investigation. She said when she announced the charges the officers had made statements to investigators.
The judge called that "troubling," but said it didn’t rise to the level that he would dismiss the charges. He said such claims should go before the state Attorney Grievance Commission.
Judge Williams was hearing motions on whether to separate the trials this afternoon. He has scheduled a hearing on whether to move the trial to another jurisdiction September 10. The trial itself is tentatively scheduled for October 13.