In this June 12, 2020 file photo from a screen grab taken from body camera video provided by the Atlanta Police Department Rayshard Brooks speaks with Officer Garrett Rolfe in the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant, in Atlanta.

In this June 12, 2020 file photo from a screen grab taken from body camera video provided by the Atlanta Police Department Rayshard Brooks speaks with Officer Garrett Rolfe in the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant, in Atlanta.

Former Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe on Wednesday was charged with felony murder and an array of other criminal charges in the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks in the parking lot of a Wendy's, the Fulton County district attorney said. 

A second officer, Devin Brosnan, was charged with aggravated assault and two violations of oath for standing on Brooks and not giving timely medical aid. District Attorney Paul L. Howard, however, said Brosnan agreed to be a cooperating witness for the state.

"He will become one of the first officers that will be willing to testify against someone in his own department," Howard said.

But the attorneys for Brosnan issued a statement to MSNBC shortly after the news conference, saying their client was not a state witness.

"He has NOT agreed to be a 'state's witness'or to testify in any court hearing or to plead guilty to any charge," the statement said, according to a Tweet by MSNBC. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also issued a terse statement after the prosecutor's news conference, saying the agency was still conducting its investigation and was not consulted about the charges filed. 

The charges were announced following a tumultous weekend that saw thousands of people take to the streets of Atlanta calling for police reform and social justice. Brooks, 27, was a father to three daughters and a stepson.  

In announcing the charges, Howard said arrest warrants had been issued for Rolfe and Brosnan. He said he reached the decision to charge the men after consulting with witnesses, viewing videos of the shooting and inspecting the crime scene. 

Rolfe was charged with 11 counts, including felony murder, several accounts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon due to bystanders sitting in cars when shots rang out, and violations of oath. During the news conference, Howard showcased several cars from around the scene with gunshot holes.

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Howard said Brosnan agreed to admit he stood on Brooks' body after he was shot. Brosnan was charged with aggravated assault and two violations of oath for standing on Brooks and not giving timely medical aid.

Brosnan will be granted a $50,000 bond. Howard will ask that Rolfe not be granted bond.

"Unfortunately, this marks the 40th prosecution of police officers for misconduct here in our county," Howard said. 

Howard said his investigation found that Brooks was "cooperative" and "jovial" during the stop. He also noted Brooks was never informed that he was under arrest for driving under the influence.

At a news conference following the prosecutor's annoucement, Brooks' widow, Tamika Miller, said she is still reeling from his death.

"I'm really hurt," she said. "Father's Day is coming up and all I can think about is 'What if my husband was still here?'"

The GBI said it had made "significant" progress in its investigation, but had not completed its probe. "Our goal in every officer involved shooting case we are requested to review, is to complete a thorough, impartial investigation before we submit the file to the respective District Attorney’s Office," the GBI said in a written statement.

"The GBI was not aware of today’s press conference before it was conducted. We were not consulted on the charges filed by the District Attorney."

 

 

The fallout from the shooting was immediate, with Rolfe getting fired and Police Chief Erika Shields resigning over the weekend.

Saying there is a "fierce urgency within our communities" to address police reform, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Monday announced a series of measures aimed at changing police policies on the use of force.

"It is clear that we do not have another day, another minute, another hour to waste," she said.

She summed up her feelings about the shooting by saying, "It pissed me off and makes me sad, and I am frustrated."

GBI Releases Surveillance Video Of Fatal Police Shooting Of Rayshard Brooks 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnHecVdUysQ&feature=youtu.be

 

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