BALTIMORE — (CNN) The Maryland Court of Special Appeals issued a stay Monday that halts the trial of Caesar Goodson Jr., the second of six Baltimore police officers charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray. The stay concerns the question of whether another of the charged officers, William Porter, can be compelled to testify in Goodson’s trial.
Jury selection in Goodson’s trial was slated to begin Monday, but the stay brings the proceedings to a stop until the issue of Porter’s testimony is resolved.
The trial for the second of six Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray was set to begin with jury selection Monday.
Caesar Goodson Jr., who drove the police van carrying Gray, faces the most severe charges in connection with Gray’s death: second-degree depraved-heart murder, which could mean 30 years behind bars if convicted.
Goodson is also charged with involuntary manslaughter; second-degree negligent assault; manslaughter by vehicle (gross negligence); manslaughter by vehicle (criminal negligence); misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. Two of the manslaughter charges and the assault charge are each punishable by up to a decade in prison.
He and five other officers were charged in connection with the April 2015 death of Gray, who suffered a fatal spinal injury after being shackled without a seat belt in the police van.
“Despite stopping for the purpose of checking on Mr. Gray’s condition, at no point did (Goodson) seek nor did he render any medical assistance for Mr. Gray,” prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said last year.
Goodson’s trial follows that of fellow officer William Porter, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.
Porter’s case ended with a mistrial last month. He faces a retrial scheduled for June 13.
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