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Latest Trial Against Officer In Freddie Gray Death To Begin

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A change in tactics for prosecutors in the latest trial against an officer in the death of Freddie Gray. They plan to argue Officer Edward Nero had no business arresting Gray to begin with.

Meghan McCorkell has more on why that argument could have far-reaching implications.

Experts say the trial could potentially change the way police do their jobs.

The central issue in the trial of Officer Edward Nero -- did the officers have probable cause to arrest Freddie Gray in the first place?

"There may not be as much a debate about what happened as to whether or not what happened constituted a crime," said David Jaros, University of Baltimore School of Law.

It's a question that has far-reaching implications beyond the trial.

"If you're a man or woman on the street who's charged with protecting Baltimore's neighborhoods, you're watching this case as closely as you watch anything in your life," said security expert Rob Weinhold, Fallston Group.

Officer Nero was on bike patrol in the high crime area near North and Mount when Freddie Gray ran from fellow officers. Nero caught and detained Gray and helped load him into the transport van.

The State's Attorney's Office contends there was no cause to arrest Gray, therefore any actions the officer took amount to assault.

But, according to court documents, just weeks before Gray's arrest, the State's Attorney's Office had requested stepped up enforcement from the police in the area.

"Are the rules changing in the middle of the game?" asked Weinhold, who says the case is already impacting police recruiting and has officers on the streets thinking twice about making arrests.

"At a certain point, they are human beings. They'll take a step back and say, 'Wait a minute now, it doesn't seem like I have the support of the criminal justice system,'" Weinhold said.

Now all eyes will be on a Baltimore City courtroom, as a ripple effect is already being felt on the streets.

The Nero trial will begin Thursday morning.

Officer Edward Nero faces three misdemeanor charges of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.

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