All charges dropped in Freddie Gray's murder

US prosecutors have dropped all remaining charges against the police officers who were accused of murdering Freddie Gray, an unarmed African American.

Last year, six police officers were charged with multiple crimes, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in connection with the killing of Gray, 25, who died of a broken neck and severe spinal injuries on April 19, a week after he was taken into custody.

However, Maryland state’s attorney for Baltimore Marilyn Mosby declared Wednesday that none of the officers will be punished for Gray’s death, an incident that triggered Baltimore's worst riots in decades.

“We could try this case 100 times just like it and we would still end up with the same result,” Mosby said in a statement, while calling for “substantive reforms to the current criminal justice system” that would allow such cases to be resolved.

Mosby said she still believes Gray's death was a homicide. “We do not believe that Freddie Gray killed himself.”

According to a post-mortem analysis, Gray sustained life-threatening injuries after being slammed into the wall of a police van during the ride while being handcuffed but not restrained with a seat-belt.

Initially, prosecutors had charged Officer Garrett Miller of illegally arresting Gray. He was also deemed criminally negligent for failing to buckle Gray into a seat-belt and leaving him unattended after his injuries.

The decision came after three of the six police officers were already cleared from all charges.

Earlier this month, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams cleared officer Caesar Goodson of a second-degree "depraved heart" murder charge in the case, the most serious accusation sought against the six officers charged in the case.

Prosecutors had accused Goodson of intentionally giving Gray a "rough ride" to the police station but Judge Williams said they had not proven that he "failed corruptly" in his job rather than just making a mistake.

In May, officer Edward Nero was cleared of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office.

Moreover, a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of officer William Porter. During the officer’s trial, prosecutors said porter ignored Gray's requests for medical help and described the police van that was carrying him as a "coffin on wheels."

The US police are widely accused of using excessive force against African-Americans. Several police killings of unarmed black men and women over the past years have sparked protests nationwide, giving rise to an activist movement called Black Lives Matter.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk