Lawyers for Baltimore police officers want state prosecutor out of Freddie Gray case

Lawyers for the six Baltimore officers charged in the death of African-American man Freddie Gray on Friday filed a motion to get Maryland state prosecutor Marilyn Mosby dismissed from the Gray case.

The motion filed in Baltimore City District Court cited several concerns, including conflicts of interest and concerns about the prosecutor's independent investigation.

The filing alleges that Mosby has personal relations with potential witnesses and that an attorney for Gray's family, William Murphy, is a friend and attorney for Mosby together with other three conflicts of interest. The filing also alleges that Mosby and her husband, Baltimore City Councilman Nick Mosby, stand to benefit financially and politically from the Gray case.

Gray, 25, died on April 19, one week after being fatally injured during his arrest. In a highly unexpected announcement on May 1, state prosecutor Mosby, 35, said in a press conference that the arrest of Gray was "illegal" and the state medical examiner ruled Gray's death a homicide.

Police officers had no probable reason for Gray's arrest at the first place, said Mosby, adding that a knife found in Gray's pocket was not an illegal switchblade.

Meanwhile, Mosby said that Gray's deadly spinal cord injury occurred not during the police arrest but during his riding in the police van.

"Mr. Gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside of the BPD (Baltimore Police Department) wagon," she said. "We have probable cause to file criminal charges."

Mosby also said the six police officers ignored Gray's pleading for medical care at least on two occasions during transportation.

Driver of the police van, Officer Caesar Goodson, was charged with the second-degree depraved-heart murder while the other five officers were charged with crimes including assault, manslaughter and false imprisonment, the prosecutor said. Endite