OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Opening arguments started today in the trial of William Kern, the Baltimore City Police instructor charged with shooting a police recruit in the head during a training session in February.
The trial began Tuesday with jury selection and motions from Kerns’ lawyer to have some pieces of evidence thrown out, according to Baltimore County Assistant State’s Attorney John Cox. These motions were ultimately denied by the judge, Cox said.
Opening arguments began Wednesday morning. The trial is ongoing this week.
Kern, age 46, was indicted in March on charges of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. The maximum penalty for both charges is 10 years in prison.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Maryland State Police that indicates Kern, an 18-year veteran of the police department, shot police recruit Raymond Gray in the head at point blank range during a Feb. 12 training exercise at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills.