Baltimore police facing criminal charges

Baltimore's top prosecutor has said that she plans to file criminal charges against six police officers over the death of Freddie Gray, which has now been certified murder. State prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said the death of the 25-year-old black man was a homicide, and that his arrest had been illegal. The charges range from second-degree murder to assault

According to the BBC, as she made the announcement at a press conference, protesters cheered loudly, briefly interrupting her remarks.

Earler today, a local US TV news station reported that Freddie Gray died when his head struck a bolt in a Baltimore police van. Citing police sources, ABC7 News said that an injury to Gray's head matched the shape of a bolt in the van.

Gray suffered a fatal spine injury while in police custody, which sparked two weeks of protests in Baltimore which turned violent earlier this week and which spread to other cities throughout the US, including New York.

His death is the latest in a series of police killings in the US which have sparked rioting and national debate. Baltimore police admitted that Gray was not secured in the van by a seatbelt, against department policy, and that he requested medical attention while being transported in the van but was denied.