Trial proceedings against the six officers charged in the killing of Freddie Gray will go forward with each of them facing a separate trial, a Baltimore circuit court judge ruled on Wednesday.

In addition, Judge Barry Williams paved the way for State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby to continue with her plan of heading the prosecution against the officers. Attorneys for several of them had petitioned the court to force Mosby to recuse herself from the case based on her purported conflict of interest.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Judge Williams wasted little time in wading through all the legal arguments placed before the court on the first day motions could be heard. He also noted trying the officers together would not be "in the interest of justice" because key evidence that's admissible in one case may not be in another. Charges against the officers range from murder to misconduct.

As Wednesday proceedings played out, dozens of demonstrators convened outside the courthouse to protest about the particulars of the Gray case and the overall treatment of black citizens by police across the city. The 25-year-old Gray died of severe spinal cord injuries prosecutors contend he sustained while in police custody.

Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr., the driver of the police van in which Gray was injured, is charged with second-degree depraved-heart murder. Sgt. Alicia D. White, Lt. Brian W. Rice and Officer William G. Porter are charged with manslaughter. Officers Edward M. Nero and Garrett E. Miller face lesser charges, including second-degree assault. All six also face misconduct in office charges.

The judge later chastised attorneys on both sides: "The unnecessary name calling and over-the-top rhetoric to which this court has been required to wade in order to get to the heart of the legal issues in this case is remarkable."

Moving forward, Williams left open the question of how each trial will be scheduled. More than likely, their timing will depend on how the judge rules on a motion to have the cases moved out of Baltimore.