Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr is headed to trial Monday (June 6) for the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. The Baltimore police officer drove the van in which Gray suffered a fatal spine injury in before slipping into a coma last April. A week after his arrest for weapons possession, Gray died from injuries to his spine.
According to the Baltimore Sun, the 46-year-old cop is being charged with “second-degree depraved-heart murder, second-degree assault, misconduct in office, involuntary manslaughter, manslaughter by vehicles (gross negligence), manslaughter by vehicles (criminal negligence) and reckless endangerment.” Depraved-heart murder is a second-degree charge which can result in 30 years imprisonment.
Goodson is one of six officers accused of being involved in Gray’s death, however, he is the only officer who did not give a statement to investigators, and the only one being charged with murder and vehicular manslaughter.
During last year’s trial of Officer William G. Porter, it was agreed upon by the jury that Gray suffered an injury while in Goodson’s custody, because he was not securely fastened in the vehicle while handcuffed. Prosecutors contended that Gray was hurt, and despite Goodson knowing that fact, he did not offer him help when needed.