Freddie Gray's family urges calm after mistrial

After a judge declared a mistrial Wednesday in the hearing of Baltimore Police Officer William Porter, the 26-year-old cop told The Baltimore Sun he knows the case isn't closed.

"It's not over yet," Porter told reporter Doug Donovan, before thanking him for the call and hanging up. Porter was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. He was the first of six officers to stand trial in the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who died in April after sustaining a spinal injury in the back of a police van. On Thursday, prosecutors and Porter's attorneys are scheduled to return to court to discuss setting a new trial date.

After the mistrial was declared, Gray's stepfather, Richard Shipley, thanked the jurors for their service and said the family was "not at all upset with them, and neither should the public be upset. They did the best they could." Shipley said the public should be "calm and patient, because we are confident there will be another trial with a different jury. We are calm. You should be calm, too." Peaceful protesters gathered in front of the Baltimore City Circuit Court after the mistrial was declared, and two activists were arrested for failing to obey a lawful order, disorderly conduct, and for using a bullhorn outside the courthouse, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore Sheriff's Office said.

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