Homicide

Trial of officer charged in black man's death to continue

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Melvin Townes, of Baltimore, stands with a "Justice 4 Freddie Gray" sign in front of a police officer during a protest Friday, July 8, 2016, in Baltimore. (Caitlin Few/The Baltimore Sun via AP) (The Associated Press)

Baltimore state's attorney Marilyn Mosby, center, arrives at a courthouse before opening statements in the trial of Lt. Brian Rice, one of six members of the Baltimore Police Department charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, in Baltimore, Thursday, July 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) (The Associated Press)

Proceedings are set to continue for the fourth Baltimore police officer to stand trial on charges stemming from the death of a 25-year-old black man injured in a police transport van.

The bench trial for Lt. Brian Rice, the highest-ranking of six officers charged in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, will resume Tuesday. Rice is facing manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office charges.

On Monday, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams dismissed the second-degree assault charge against Rice, the fourth of six officers — three black, three white — to be tried in Gray's death. Rice is white.

After three trials, Williams has yet to rule that any of the officers committed crimes. Rice is the third officer to let Williams alone decide their fate.