Lt. Brian Rice Found Not Guilty in Death of Freddie Gray

Another Baltimore police officer who was charged in Freddie Gray’s death was acquitted on Monday.

Judge Barry Williams found Lt. Brian Rice not guilty on manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. Two other charges against Rice, including assault, were dropped in the midst of the trial.

Rice was the the highest-ranking of the six officers to be charged in the case. Prosecutors from State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s office argued that Rice should have known to strap Gray into a seatbelt in the back of the police van.

Rice is the third officer to be acquitted in Gray’s case, following Officers Caesar Goodson and Edward Nero. A fourth trial of Officer William Porter ended in a mistrial.

After each not guilty verdict, experts and the city’s police union have questioned whether Mosby should continue to prosecute the case. The next trial of Officer Garrett Miller is slated for a July 27 start.