Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby is seeking a protective order to block the release of Freddie Gray’s autopsy report and other “sensitive” documents related to the investigation of six Baltimore police officers allegedly responsible for Gray’s death.
An attorney for one of the officers says the move shows there’s “something in that autopsy report” she’s “trying to hide,” according to the Baltimore Sun.
The protective order will only allow prosecutors and defense attorneys to see the documents, and require all new court filings to be sealed, according to Ivan Bates, who represents Sgt. Alicia White.
Mosby told the Baltimore Sun that prosecutors “have a duty to ensure a fair and impartial process for all parties involved” and “will not be baited into litigating this case through the media.”
“Mrs. Mosby is the one who did an announcement discussing what she said the evidence was in a nationally televised speech,” Bates told the Baltimore Sun. “Now that it is time to turn over the evidence, to ask for a protective order is beyond disingenuous. It’s as if she wants to do everything to make sure our clients do not get a fair trial.”
Defense attorneys have been denied access to the knife that was confiscated from Gray during his arrest, a summary of the evidence, and the claims against the officers, defense attorneys argue in their Wednesday response to Mosby’s filing.
Mosby’s office has also sought a gag order to prevent witnesses discussing the case in public and has “broken with a long-standing practice by not giving a copy of the autopsy to Baltimore police,” reports the Baltimore Sun.
The Sun and 18 other news organizations are contesting Mosby’s gag request.
Gray, 25, died April 19 after receiving a severe spinal cord injury while in police custody.
Mosby refuses to release the report http://washex.am/1QtT6KM in Campaigns on LockerDome
