Warren Alperstein Offers Insight to The Baltimore Sun
Closing arguments in the trial of Lieutenant Brian Rice are set to be heard on the morning of Thursday, July 14th. Rice is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. Judge Barry Williams previously dismissed two other charges against the Lieutenant.
In speaking with The Baltimore Sun regarding the possible outcome of the trial, Baltimore defense attorney, Warren Alperstein, concluded: “The ultimate question is, was Lieutenant Rice’s failure to restrain Freddie Gray with a seat belt a criminal act? Judge Williams in Goodson’s trial made it clear … that the mere failure to restrain a prisoner with a seat belt, in and of itself, is not a criminal act.”
Alperstein also noted that the prosecution needed to show “that there was an intent to cause injury, or an appreciation and understanding that failure to restrain can cause injury. Again, there was no evidence of either.”