Maryland Appeals Court Halts Officer Trials in Freddie Gray Case Pending Review

In a rare move, Maryland's highest court agreed Thursday to halt trial proceedings against the Baltimore police officers charged in the  Freddie Gray  case, taking up competing appeals on whether Officer William G. Porter can be compelled to testify against his five fellow defendants.

The Court of Appeals' decision to consider the issue of Porter's testimony against his fellow officers postpones their trials, including one that had been scheduled to start Monday. The high court will hear expedited oral arguments in the appeals March 3, but it is unclear when it might rule, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Porter is contesting an order by Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams forcing him to testify against two fellow officers even as he faces a retrial in his case. Meanwhile, prosecutors appealed a decision by Williams that they contend wrongly blocked them from calling Porter to testify against three other officers.