Above: Photo of evening protest on first day of trial. By Margaret Flowers of Popular Resistance.
On Monday, November 30th, the trial of William G. Porter the first Baltimore police officer in the Freddie Grey killing began with jury selection. The Washington Post reports and other news reports all said that inside the courtroom protests could be heard/ The Post writes: “Chants from protesters standing outside in the cold, light rain filtered into the marbled courtroom: “We won’t stop until killer cops are in cell blocks.” Protesters were outside the courthouse in the morning and in the evening when court finished. The trial is expected to continue through mid-December. Protests are likely to occur throughout the trial.
The Post reports “Sharon Black, 66, a retired registered nurse, stood among the demonstrators holding a yellow banner that read, ‘No police terror; black lives matter.’ She said that her group has been at the courthouse during each major development in the case. ‘We’ve been out here, primarily to keep the pressure on. We want not only for these officers to be indicted, but that they be convicted and that they be jailed like the average people on the street. . . .We feel the Freddie Gray case is a symbol of police terror, police abuse and systematic racism.’”
Steven Ceci, one of the protest organizers, told The Post the demonstrations were important to show Baltimore officials “that people around the world have their eyes on Baltimore and to make sure justice is served.” He said they would continue “from the beginning of the first trial until the end of the last.”
The Real News reports the courtroom was full and three dozen people watched from an overflow room. While all of the 75 jurors considered today knew about the killing of Freddie Grey, the curfew put in place during the uprising and the civil settlement in the case, noted criminal defense attorney Billy Murphy told the Sun that within a couple of days Judge Barry Williams should be able to pick a jury. In addition 39 of the potential 75 jurors had either been a victim of a crime, incarcerated or a family member had been incarcerated. In addition to asking some public questions, Judge Williams also interviewed some of the jurors in his chambers. Judge Williams has ordered that the jurors will not be required to be sequestered. A second panel of 75 jurors will be considered on Tuesday.
Below are tweets further describing today’s activities.
Good morning, Baltimore. The first officer heads to trial today in #FreddieGray‘s death. https://t.co/DlyImUmqhx
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) November 30, 2015
1st officer’s trial in death of #FreddieGray begins today: https://t.co/JhfKZd0247 pic.twitter.com/SZ4IyPDiPi
— The Root (@TheRoot) November 30, 2015
High stakes for #Baltimore as Freddie Gray trials begin https://t.co/WKsfGR338k #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/wZmdzPtZU5
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 30, 2015
1st #FreddieGray trial starts in #Baltimore as demoralized cops prepare for potential riots https://t.co/AQKmuhn8Ja pic.twitter.com/6NKDsdzy3U
— RT America (@RT_America) November 30, 2015
Activists have moved into the ‘No Protest Zone’ Tawanda Jones on the megaphone “We Won’t Stop!” #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/9vmVrjfVUy
— Harris from the Post (@rousseau_ist) November 30, 2015
Sheriff orders #FreddieGray protesters to move away from Mitchell Courthouse. So far, lots of noise, little else. pic.twitter.com/ElHfCwWrSZ
— Baltimore Brew (@BaltimoreBrew) November 30, 2015
Kevin Moore & @expandyourfocus Day 1 Trial of #6BadCops in Baltimore Justice 4 #FreddieGray Nov 30, 2015 pic.twitter.com/BJFKfMMyaJ
— Harris from the Post (@rousseau_ist) November 30, 2015
Breaking News @kwamerose heading into court for civil disobedience on September 2nd now. Nov 30, 2015 #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/VGDlFkAFd0
— Harris from the Post (@rousseau_ist) November 30, 2015
Protests as first trial begins in #FreddieGray case. “Everything is at stake. The future of the city is at stake” https://t.co/4opbyaiMXQ
— Occupy Wall Street (@OccupyWallStNYC) November 30, 2015
Baltimore faith leaders monitor first #FreddieGray trial https://t.co/vVGI5fMmmI #PorterTrial
— WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@cbsbaltimore) November 30, 2015
Jury selection begins for first #FreddieGray trial, protesters on the move in Baltimore. https://t.co/uu56tSnvFb pic.twitter.com/X4fRUTSj64
— WPGC 95.5 (@WPGC) December 1, 2015
Updated: Search for impartial city jury begins in 1st officer’s trial in #FreddieGray‘s death (w @justin_fenton): https://t.co/UJ01eLIl7h
— Kevin Rector (@RectorSun) December 1, 2015
Jury selection for #FreddieGray trial off to a rocky start in #Baltimore https://t.co/87D2eA7ZNa #ZippedNews https://t.co/IQFZJV7BCW
— News in Summary (@news_in_summary) December 1, 2015
50 protestors in the streets of Baltimore yelling “all night all day justice for #FreddieGray” pic.twitter.com/m8jDliSYbb
— The Real News (@TheRealNews) November 30, 2015
In front the Galleria. Approaching the Inner Harbor. #TyroneWest #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/mGeWK4uP3T
— Baltimore BLOC (@BmoreBloc) November 30, 2015
Happening now: #FreddieGray protestors in the streets of Baltimore pic.twitter.com/pzOWMsF0Dj
— The Real News (@TheRealNews) November 30, 2015
Source Article from https://www.popularresistance.org/trial-of-first-freddie-grey-officer-begins-protesters-return/
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