Judge Barry Williams has dropped the assault charge against Lt. Brian Rice, the fourth Baltimore police officer being tried on charges arising from the death of Freddie Gray, a young black man severely injured last year in police custody.
The bench trial of Rice, the highest-ranking officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, resumed Monday. Rice is still facing manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office charges.
The prosecution rested its case Monday afternoon.
Judge says that State hasn't proven that Lt. Rice used transport van as instrument of assault or acted in concert w van driver to hurt Gray.
— Brendan McNamara (@BrendanABC2) July 11, 2016
Gray died in April 2015, a week after he suffered a spinal injury in a police van, his death touching off protests and rioting in Baltimore that month.
Rice is the fourth of six officers -- three white and three black -- to stand trial in Gray's death. Two were acquitted and proceedings for another ended in a mistrial.
WMAR Staff contributed to this story.
