BALTIMORE – The latest on a pretrial hearing in the prosecution of six Baltimore police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died after suffering a spinal injury in their custody.
8 a.m.
The first protester showed up around 8 a.m. Thursday outside Baltimore Circuit Court, where a pretrial hearing in the Freddie Gray case is planned.
The woman carried a sign urging that the trials of six city police officers charged in Gray's arrest and death remain in Baltimore.
"They didn't bother to kill him elsewhere," the sign read.
Judge Barry Williams will hear arguments Thursday morning by attorneys for the officers to consider a change of venue. Defense attorneys have argued in court filings that pre-trial publicity means the officers can't fair and impartial trial in Baltimore.
Gray suffered a spinal injury during his arrest in April in West Baltimore and died a week later.
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6:45 a.m.
A Baltimore pastor has been arrested a week after police say he blocked traffic while protesting during pre-trial hearings in the Freddie Gray case.
Police say they arrested 27-year-old Westley West on Wednesday after obtaining a warrant charging him with attempting to incite a riot, malicious destruction of property, disorderly conduct, disturbance of the peace, false imprisonment and failure to obey.
Online court records show West is charged with walking on a road where a sidewalk is provided, but don't list a lawyer.
Police say they recorded West, the pastor at Faith Empowered Ministries, stepping in front of a pickup truck and hitting the hood with his bullhorn. Others joined West blocking traffic, but fled when officers approached.
The arrest came a day before another pre-trial hearing for six officers charged in the death of Gray, a 25-year-old black man fatally injured in police custody.
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