Bryan Woolston/Reuters
Baltimore police officer Edward Nero has been acquitted of assault, reckless endangerment, and misconduct surrounding the death of Freddie Gray. Gray, a black man, suffered severe injuries while in police custody in April 2015, and died a week later. His death sparked a series of protests in Baltimore and nationwide. The case of the first officer involved in the arrest, William Porter, ended in a hung jury late last year.
“This is our American system of justice and police officers must be afforded the same justice system as every other citizen in this city, state, and country,” Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. She added that the police department will conduct an administrative review, and urged patience on the part of the general public.