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Two Baltimore police officers have accepted "minor disciplinary action" for their involvement in the 2015 arrest of Freddie Gray rather than argue their cases before departmental trial boards, as they had been scheduled to do, a police union attorney confirmed Tuesday.
The discipline marks the first punishment against officers in the high-profile case, after local prosecutors tried but failed to secure criminal convictions and federal prosecutors declined to bring charges, reports the Baltimore Sun.
Officers Garrett Miller and Edward Nero "believe they did not violate any of the policies, procedures or practices of the Baltimore Police Department," but "accepted the disciplinary action to move on from this unfortunate incident and continue their careers," said attorney Michael Davey, with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3.
"The most important factor in deciding to accept the disciplinary action was to ensure they continue their employment with the Baltimore Police Department so they can support themselves and their families," Davey said.
Davey would not disclose what violations were alleged by the department, or the punishments the officers accepted. He said Miller is back to full-time duty working in the police department's marine unit, while Nero is back to full-time work in the aviation unit.
