The chief Baltimore prosecutor, who came out swinging on Friday with charges against six police officers in the death of a 25-year-old man, could be quickly asked to disclose some of the potential evidence she has collected.

At a news conference Friday, Marilyn Mosby accused the officers of illegally arresting Freddie Gray, placing him in a police van without a seatbelt and with his legs shackled and his hands cuffed, and then ignoring his pleas for medical help. Mosby charged the officer who drove the van with second-degree murder and the others with lesser charges, including manslaughter.

Defendants charged with serious crimes in Maryland are generally entitled to request a preliminary hearing, at which prosecutors must present enough material to convince a judge they had probable cause to bring charges, lawyers experienced in Maryland criminal law said. Under Maryland's criminal code, such requests must be filed within 10 days of a defendant's first court appearance.