[JURIST] Baltimore City Police Lieutenant Brian Rice on Monday was found not guilty [docket] of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in connection with Freddie Gray’s arrest and death on April 12, 2015. Rice was the highest-ranking of six Baltimore police officers charged in the incident, and was the fourth to go on trial. Circuit Judge Barry Williams [Baltimore Sun profile], the judge who presided over Rice’s bench trial, previously acquitted officers Edward Nero and Caesar Goodson, Jr. of charges relating to Gray’s death. Officer William Porter [Baltimore Sun reports] had a mistrial in January, after a 12-member jury was unable to come to an agreement regarding his guilt on involuntary manslaughter charges. Prosecutors alleged that Rice had caused Gray’s death by failing to secure him in the transport van, despite knowing of the need to do so. The defense claimed that, given the volatility of the situation and Gray’s combativeness, failing to secure him was reasonable. Officer Garrett Miller is the next officer to go on trial in the Freddie Gray case, scheduled for July 27.

The State’s Attorney for Baltimore City in May, 2015 announced [JURIST report] the indictment of the police officers on charges including murder and manslaughter over the death Gray. Gray’s arrest and death in April of last year led to widespread protests and civil disorder in the city of Baltimore. In September Baltimore reached a tentative agreement with Gray’s family to pay $6.4 million in settlement [JURIST report]. In April of last year Amnesty International urged Baltimore police to exercise restraint [JURIST report] during protests, prioritize non-violent means and limit the use of force.