Baltimore officer acquitted of manslaughter in Freddie Gray death

A Maryland judge on Monday acquitted Baltimore police Lt. Brian Rice of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office for the April 2015 death of black detainee Freddie Gray.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams handed down his verdict after a bench trial. Rice, 42, is the highest-ranking officer charged in Gray's death from a broken neck suffered in a police transport van.

• Federal probe into Sterling shooting 'unusual,' expert says
• Man shot dead by police during traffic stop in Minnesota

Rice was the fourth of the six officers charged to go on trial in the Freddie Gray case.

Gray died a week after suffering the spinal injury in the van last year, touching off protests and rioting.

Two lawyers who have been closely following the trials of officers in the case questioned Monday whether prosecutors should move forward with any more trials.

Rice was the third straight acquittal in the death of Gray. A fourth officer's trial ended in a hung jury.

Warren Alperstein, a prominent Baltimore lawyer who has been observing the case, said prosecutors have exhausted their theories and need to question whether to move forward.

Warren Brown, a lawyer who has also been observing proceedings, said the state at this point is doing worse than just zero-for-four, because of all the related charges in the case that had failed.

Two of the six officers charged have not gone on trial yet.