Baltimore on edge as deliberations begin in Freddie Gray trial

The city of Baltimore was bracing for possibly violent protests Monday as a jury deliberated the fate of a police officer charged in connection with the April death of Freddie Gray while in police custody.

The police department canceled leave for all officers and created a Joint Information Center to provide community groups and the public with information on the case. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opened an emergency operations center and pleaded for calm.

"Whether you agree or whether you disagree with the jury's ultimate verdict, our reaction has to be one of respect in Baltimore's neighborhoods," she said.

A few hours after beginning deliberations Monday afternoon, the jury sent its first questions to the judge, asking for transcripts of police dispatcher tapes and a police interview with Officer William Porter, who is on trial.

A court spokeswoman said the judge denied the request, since no transcripts were introduced as evidence, The Associated Press reported. But jurors are welcome to review the audio and video.

Jurors also asked for definitions of terms from jury instructions. The terms are "evil motive," ''bad faith" and "not honestly." They relate to jury instructions for the misconduct in office charge Porter faces. As for the definitions, the judge said he could not expand on his jury instructions.

Porter, the first of six officers facing trial, is charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct and reckless endangerment. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Porter, 26, did not participate in the April 12 arrest of Gray, but he is accused of breaching police department protocols by failing to buckle the shackled Gray into the seat belt of a police van and then failing to immediately seek medical assistance when Gray requested it.

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Gray, 25, suffered a severe spinal injury while being transported after his arrest. He died a week later, setting off protests that sometimes degenerated into rioting, looting and arson.

Prosecutor Janice Bledsoe told the jury the van was a "casket on wheels" for Gray, the Associated Press reported. Defense lawyer Joseph Murtha countered that there was simply no evidence that Porter committed a crime.

Porter, who like Gray is black, testified last week that he was in the van for most of the 45-minute ride between the site of Gray's arrest and the Western District police station. Porter said Gray did not appear injured and kicked and yelled for most of the journey. Porter added that Gray didn't ask for medical assistance but agreed when Porter asked him if he wanted to go to a hospital.

Porter said he asked about the hospital because he knew the jail would not accept Gray if he claimed to be injured. The driver, Caesar Goodson, declined to go to the hospital, instead stopping to pick up another prisoner, Porter said. When the van finally arrived at the police station, Gray was unresponsive.

Gray died a week later. His highly emotional funeral on April 27 drew thousands of mourners and protesters. The demonstrations turned violent, and dozens of people were injured while stores were looted and burned.

Rawlings-Blake fired Police Commissioner Anthony Batts in July, citing a spike in violent crime after Gray's death.

Contributing: The Associated Press