Defense in Officer Caesar Goodson trial presents first day of testimony

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Defense attorneys for Baltimore Police Officer Caesar Goodson began presenting their case Thursday, after a judge rejected a motion to acquit Goodson. 

Goodson faces second-degree murder charges for the death of Freddie Gray, who was fatally injured while riding in the back of a police van last April. His death sparked days of riots in Baltimore last spring. 

Donta Allen, the prisoner who was riding in the back of the van with Gray, was called as a defense witness late Thursday afternoon. But he testified that he remembered nothing about that day. 

Attorneys then began to play a taped statement from Allen, in which he tells police he saw Gray trying to knock himself out. Judge Barry Williams then abruptly called a recess. 

Allen was the third defense witness to take the stand Thursday, following an expert in police patrol policy and a detective who testified that the assistant medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Gray initially thought his death could have been accidental. 

Det. Dawnyell Taylor testified she met with Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Carol Allan, who first said Gray's death "was like a freakish accident." 

That testimony, allowed by Williams Wednesday, contradicts Allan's earlier testimony that she never said Gray's death could have been an accident. 

Lawyers for the state suffered a setback earlier in the trial, when a judge found they had violated discovery rules because they didn't turn over notes from Taylor.

Schatzow said he asked for Taylor to be removed from invest last Aug because she was sabotaging the state's case. Taylor was nvr removed

— Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) June 16, 2016

There is also testimony referring to some texts between Bledsoe and Taylor.

— Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) June 16, 2016

Det Taylor leaving courthouse aftr explosive testimony in #GoodsonTrial Say ME called #FreddieGray death an accident pic.twitter.com/nUDlE8Dw9P

— Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) June 16, 2016

Complete Freddie Gray coverage

Williams said he was concerned over the info presented in depraved heart murder charge, "a closer call" but still did not acquit.

— Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) June 16, 2016

Defense Atty Andrew Graham said of the state's case it seems, "things are being made up as we go" #GoodsonTrial

— Brian Kuebler (@BrianfromABC2) June 16, 2016

RELATED: State rests on Day 5 of Officer Caesar Goodson's trial

ABC2 News staff contributed to this story.

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