Mosby’s Office Withheld Evidence in Prosecution of Baltimore Officers

Judge Barry Williams

Judge Barry William has ruled that prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence in the trial of Baltimore Officer Caesar Goodson. Officer Goodson faces the most serious charges out of the six innocent Baltimore officers who are being maliciously prosecuted for the death of Freddie Gray.

ABC News reports:

The judge overseeing the trial of a police officer charged with murder in the death of Freddie Gray has determined that prosecutors withheld information that would have been beneficial to the defense.

Judge Barry Williams was visibly angry in the Baltimore court, but he did not dismiss the charges against police officer Caesar Goodson, as his attorneys had requested. Williams is giving prosecutors until Monday to disclose any other relevant evidence they have withheld. Goodson was the driver of the van during the arrest of Gray, 25, last year.

Goodson’s attorneys have argued that prosecutors withheld statements made last year by Donta Allen, a key witness. Allen was picked up by the Baltimore police van after Gray.

In his original statement to police in April last year, Allen said he heard banging coming from Gray’s side of the vehicle. He gave a similar statement in a separate interview with prosecutors a month later, but the state never turned it over as evidence to defense attorneys. Williams found today that prosecutors committed a Brady violation — after Brady v. Maryland, a 1963 Supreme Court decision requiring prosecutors to disclose evidence that would aid the defense — because Allen’s May 2015 statement was deemed exculpatory evidence.

This clear case of prosecutorial misconduct can surely be used in the civil cases against DA Marilyn Mosby, as this is strong evidence that these officers are being maliciously prosecuted.