Court resumed at 9:50 this morning in the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson, who is the Baltimore City Police  van driver charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

Yesterday it was the prosecutor, today it was a defense attorney who was criticized in open court by Judge Barry Williams. 

Specifically, defense attorney Amy Askew, who objected to the qualification of Dr. Carroll Allan. 

She is the deputy medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Freddie Gray. 

After Judge Williams sustained prosecutor’s objections of Askew’s questioning, the Judge told Askew to “don’t stare at me ask a question.”

Eventually, Askew withdrew her objections to Allan as an expert witness.  

After 30 minutes of questioning from prosecutors on the autopsy, Allan said based on the autopsy, and discussions with witnesses and police officials, she concluded that the cause of Gray’s death was a neck injury, and the manner of death was a homicide.”

Askew will cross examine Dr. Allan after the court's mid-morning break.

7:00 a.m.

The trial of Baltimore City Police Officer Caesar Goodson, charged in the death of Freddie Gray enters its second day today.

When court resumes at 9:30, the prosecution will continue to present its case to try to prove that Freddie Gray died in a "rough ride" in the police van driven by Goodson.

Goodson faces seven charges including second degree murder depraved heart.  

The first day of this trial included seven prosecution witnesses, all testifying in about a three hour period Thursday afternoon. 

Witnesses included Goodson’s field training officer, Officer Dennis Smith.

He said Goodson was trained in how to put a prisoner into a seat belt in his van, and Goodson knew it was required.

Also testifying, the crime lab technician who took photos of the van that carried Freddie Gray, and the city purchasing officer who approved the purchase of the 2011 van.

This  trial almost ended before it began, when Judge Barry Williams held a hearing on a defense request to dismiss the charges against Officer Caesar Goodson, over the state’s failure to tell the defense they interviewed Donta Allen.

Williams said  dismissing the charges or disqualifying prosecutors Michael Schatzow and Janice Bledsoe would be “draconian.” 

Still Williams said Schatzow’s actions were prejudicial.  A frustrated judge said Schatzow doesn’t understand the rules of evidence.  He now has Monday to turn over any outstanding evidence in this and the remaining four trials, or else face a penalty

Prosecutors say they will not call Donta Allen to the stand, but in his opening statement, defense attorney Andrew Graham said Allen, who is in prison for probation violation will be called as a defense witness. 

Because of a gag order on all parties, attorneys are barred from talking about the case outside of the courtroom, so it is not clear which witnesses will testify today.  

Among those expected to testify for the prosecution, Dr. Carol Allen, the deputy medical examiner, who performed the autopsy on Gray.

Officer William Porter, who is facing a retrial in his own case, is being offered limited immunity, to testify for the prosecution.

Defense attorney Andrew Graham said in court yesterday that he would call Porter as a defense witness as well, to describe what happened at the van's fourth stop on Druid Hill Avenue and Dolphin Street. Porter in his own trial testified he told Goodson that Gray needed medical attention, but Goodson did nothing.