BALTIMORE (AP) - A judge says he'll decide by Thursday morning the fate of the officer facing the most serious charges in the death of a 25-year-old black man whose broken neck inside a police transport wagon set Baltimore on fire.
Officer Caesar Goodson opted against a jury trial on charges including second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Prosecutors say Goodson was criminally negligent for failing to buckle Freddie Gray into a seat belt or call a medic. They initially accused Goodson of giving Gray a "rough ride" by driving erratically with the intention of injuring the man, who was wearing handcuffs and leg shackles.
During closing arguments, prosecutors abandoned the theory, but Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams peppered them with questions to determine whether the state still believes Goodson drove wildly in order to slam Gray's body against the wagon's metal walls.
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