Freddie Gray's life could have been saved with seatbelt, prosecutor says at officer's trial

A prosecutor in the trial of a Baltimore police officer charged with manslaughter in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who was injured in the back of a police transport van, said the officer only had to fasten Gray's seat belt and call a medic to save his life and described the wagon Gray was injured in as a "casket on wheels."

Janice Bledsoe made the statement Monday during closing arguments in the trial of William Porter, 26, one of six officers charged in Gray's April 19 death. Porter faces manslaughter and other charges and could face about 25 years in prison if convicted on all of the charges.

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Bledsoe told the jury in Baltimore City Circuit Court there's no reason not to put a seat belt on someone in the police wagon. She says Porter "just didn't care enough."

She also said that even though other officers have said they don't use seat belts on prisoners, that's not an excuse.

Gray, who had been arrested for possessing a switchblade knife outside a housing project on Baltimore's west side, died in a hospital a week after he suffered a spinal injury in the wagon.

Emergency operations opened ahead of verdict

Baltimore's mayor said Monday that as the officer's trial is drawing to a close, the city is opening an emergency operations centre as a pre-emptive measure in case of unrest over the verdict.

Gray's death was followed by peaceful demonstrations, but clashes between demonstrators and police and some rioting and looting of local businesses broke out April 25 and again on April 27, prompting the city to institute a curfew and the Maryland governor to deploy the National Guard.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a letter to community leaders that she has "no doubt" city officials are prepared for anything this time, but the centre will be open as of 10 a.m. ET Monday as a precaution. She said it will help agencies co-ordinate any necessary response. Rawlings-Blake said the city also is communicating with outside law enforcement agency partners.

The mayor says business should continue as usual and people must respect the jury's decision in Porter's trial. He's one of six officers charged.

Porter is charged with manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. 

Defence attorneys say that Porter didn't know Gray was injured and that it was the wagon driver's responsibility to buckle prisoners into seat belts.

The seven-woman, five-man jury began deliberations on Monday.