In a ruling that should come as no surprise to anyone who’s been reading this erudite and learned blog, Judge Barry Williams this afternoon granted a defense request that the six defendants be tried separately.

A judge on Wednesday ordered that six Baltimore Police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray be tried separately.

The ruling was one of three that Judge Barry Williams handed down during the first pre-trial motions hearing in the case. Williams earlier denied defense motions to dismiss charges against the officers and to recuse State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby’s office from the case.

Prosecutors sought to have the sixA judge on Wednesday ordered that six Baltimore Police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray be tried separately.

The ruling was one of three that Judge Barry Williams handed down during the first pre-trial motions hearing in the case. Williams earlier denied defense motions to dismiss charges against the officers and to recuse State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby’s office from the case.

Prosecutors sought to have the six officers tried in groups, while defense attorneys had argued their clients should be tried separately.

Williams said trying the officers together would not be “in the interest of justice.”

This was the right decision. It’s a huge pain in the ass for the prosecution, having to try the case six times, but if I was defense counsel in this case, it would be a very worrisome outcome if the judge ruled against the motion for separate trials.