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Protests held in US as Freddie Gray’s case ends in mistrial

Protesters surround a car while marching through the streets after a mistrial was declared in the trial of Baltimore police Officer William G. Porter, December 16, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (photos by AFP)

Protesters have taken to streets in the US city of Baltimore as a mistrial is declared in the case of a young African American who lost his life while in police custody.

The Wednesday demonstration, which included blocking the traffic in the Maryland state city, followed an announcement of mistrial for Officer William Porter, one of the six cops implicated in the death of Freddie Gray.

Baltimore City Police Officers block the entrance to I-83 to prevent protesters from entering as they marched through the streets after a mistrial was declared in the trial of Baltimore police Officer William G. Porter, December 16, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Earlier, the jury failed to unanimously agree on charges against the officer, making the judge to declare mistrial in the case.

The announcement was made at a time that the fatal shooting of several black people by white police officers had led to myriads of protests across the United States.

Residents protest in reaction to the mistrial declared in the trial of police officer William Porter in Baltimore. (AFP photo)

The Black Lives Matter activists are particularly angry due to the US media blackout on police brutality and racial profiling.

Meanwhile, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (seen below) called on the angry demonstrators to remain calm, and “respect the outcome of the judicial process.”

In June, prosecutors charged a total of six police officers, including a lieutenant and a sergeant, with multiple counts including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the killing of the 25-year-old African American, who died of severe spinal injuries on April 19, a week after he was arrested and detained by police.

As the jurors said they were deadlocked, Bill Murphy, an attorney for Gray's family, said the case is not over yet.

"This hung jury does not mean it's the end of Officer Porter's case," he said.


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