Brooks’ murder occurred in the midst of a national wave of protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd
ATLANTA:
The former Atlanta police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks last week surrendered to authorities Thursday afternoon, in accordance with an arrangement with prosecutors, according to prison records.
Garrett Rolfe, a white officer charged on Wednesday with the murder, was detained at Fulton County Jail. He was fired by city police on Saturday, one day after the shooting in the parking lot of a Wendy’s fast food restaurant.
The death of Brooks – the latest in a long line of African Americans whose fatal encounters with law enforcement were captured on video – further increased social tensions at a time when the national soul was seeking police violence and racism in the US criminal justice system.
Fulton district attorney Paul Howard, who faces a tough race for re-election this year, said Thursday that political motives had no role in the way he handled the case.
“We need to understand the bigger picture,” said Howard to CNN. “It is a 27-year-old man who died. He did not have to die. These shootings continue to occur throughout our country … and many of them are African-Americans.”
Announcing the charges on Wednesday, Howard said he was not recommending any bail to Rolfe, who shot Brooks twice in the back with his handgun after a scuffle. Rolfe has been charged with murder for crime and 10 other counts.
A second officer on the scene, Devin Brosnan, did not unload his weapon. He faces a handful of lesser charges, including aggravated assault and the violation of his oath.
Brosnan went to prison earlier on Thursday and was released on bail, according to his lawyer.
Howard told reporters on Wednesday that Brosnan had agreed to hand over state evidence against his colleague, but Brosnan’s lawyer Don Samuel denied on Thursday.
While his client had said everything to Howard’s office in a lengthy interview and that he would cooperate with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigation, Brosnan had not agreed to be a witness to the state, said the lawyer.
“Officer Brosnan did not agree to testify. He did not agree to plead guilty,” said Samuel in a statement.
THE MEETING STARTED CALMLY
The Brooks murder occurred amid a national wave of protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes . This officer, Derek Chauvin, was charged with second degree murder. Three other Minneapolis police officers were charged with aiding and abetting.
The police encounter with Brooks began calmly after he was found sleeping in his car in the driveway to the restaurant. Rolfe and Brosnan administered a sobriety test, after which the situation escalated.
The previously released Brooks video appeared to show him grab one of the officer’s Taser stun guns and turn and point him at Rolfe before being shot.
Howard said Thursday that investigators had concluded that Rolfe knew at the time that the Taser had already been fired twice and therefore became harmless.
According to Howard and the charges against the two officers, one of Rolfe’s pistol bullets hit a white Chevy Trailblazer at Wendy’s, threatening the lives of the three passengers inside.
One of the passengers in the car, Michael Perkins, said at a press conference on Thursday that he was hiding in the back seat as the fight between officers and Brooks intensified. He said he “smelled gun smoke” but was unaware that the car had been shot until later.
“I almost got killed myself. I feel confused about this, but I’m glad the family is getting the justice it deserves.”
Samuel described the decision to charge his client as “irrational” and politically motivated. He said that Brosnan’s conduct on the night of the shooting was “exemplary” and an “example of a manual” of how an officer should approach a situation involving a drunk, like Brooks that night.
Although Brosnan did not fire his gun, Howard accused him of aggravated assault for standing on Brooks’ body after being shot and for violating his oath of office by failing to provide no medical help immediately after Brooks’ fall.
Samuel said Brosnan, despite a concussion during a fight with Brooks, rushed to provide medical care.
A private funeral for Brooks is scheduled for Tuesday at Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the church said in a statement. A public visit is scheduled for Monday at the church.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
