The trial for the second of six Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray is set to being 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.
