Bond denied for Atlanta officer who killed Rayshard Brooks

ATLANTA — A judge on Friday denied bond for the former Atlanta police officer who has been charged with felony murder and other crimes after fatally shooting Rayshard Brooks in the back after Mr. Brooks fired a stun gun in his direction.

Judge Jeffrey Frazier found probable cause exists to detain Garrett Rolfe for the slaying of Mr. Brooks outside a Wendy’s fast-food restaurant in Atlanta, court records show. Mr. Rolfe is white. Mr. Brooks was black.

Disciplinary records released Friday by police show that Mr. Rolfe, who became an Atlanta police officer in September 2014, was cleared after investigations into several citizen complaints over the years but was once reprimanded for pointing a gun at a car during a chase.

Mr. Brooks’ killing rocked a city — and a nation — still reeling after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis last month.

Police were called to the Wendy’s on June 12 over complaints of a car blocking the drivethru lane. An officer found Mr. Brooks asleep in the car.

Police body-camera video showed Mr. Brooks and officers having a relatively calm and respectful conversation for more than 40 minutes before things rapidly turned violent when officers tried to handcuff him and Mr. Brooks resisted. Mr. Brooks and the two officers wrestled, and then Mr. Brooks grabbed one of their stun guns and fired it in their direction as he ran through the parking lot.

In announcing charges Wednesday, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said Mr. Brooks wasn’t a deadly threat when he was shot and that Mr. Rolfe kicked him and offered no medical treatment for over two minutes as Mr. Brooks lay dying. Another officer, Devin Brosnan, who the prosecutor said stood on Mr. Brooks’ shoulder as he struggled for his life, was charged with aggravated assault and violation of his oath. Mr. Howard also said the pair failed to tell Mr. Brooks he was under arrest before trying to handcuff him.

Lawyers for both men have said their clients’ actions were justified.

The felony murder charge against Mr. Rolfe, 27, carries life in prison or the death penalty, if prosecutors decide to seek it. He was also charged with 10 other offenses punishable by decades behind bars.

The district attorney said Officer Brosnan, 26, is cooperating with prosecutors and will testify. But his attorneys said he hasn’t agreed to be a witness for prosecutors.