Prosecutors Request Bond Be Revoked for Former Officer Who Shot Rayshard Brooks After He Took a Vacation to Florida

Prosecutors in Georgia have requested that the bond order be revoked for the former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in June after finding out he recently took a vacation to Florida without getting permission.

CBS News reports that prosecutors in the case were only informed on Monday that former officer Garrett Rolfe took a vacation to Florida days after he had made the trip. According to the motion filed by the prosecutors, the terms of Rolfe’s bond “expressly states that the Defendant is only allowed to leave home for medical, legal, or work-related obligations.” The bond order also sets a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. On Wednesday, lawyers for Brooks’ family spoke out and said that not only was Rolfe’s trip a “full violation” of his bond, it was simply disrespectful as well.

“It let me know that Officer Rolfe did not care about what the judge had laid down, as well as caring about how anyone would feel. I’m hurt. Again, I’m just wondering when justice will be served?” Tomika Miller, Brooks’ widow, said at a press conference. Chris Stewart, a lawyer for the family, said that Rolfe’s attorneys only informed prosecutors about the trip “after he had already been on vacation on the beach for a few days.”

“It furthermore shows the mental state of this officer, it shows he feels he can just go on vacation after he has been charged with the murder of Rayshard Brooks,” Stewart said. He also went on to call Rolfe’s actions “mind-blowing” and “disappointing.” He believes that Rolfe’s bond should be revoked because his actions indicate a belief that “rules don’t apply to him.” Prosecutors said they haven’t received an indication that Rolfe was given permission to go on vacation.

Rolfe, who is facing 11 charges, including felony murder, has filed a lawsuit against city officials over the case.

From CBS News:

Rolfe has also sued the mayor and interim police chief, saying his firing violated his constitutional rights and the city code.

Rolfe’s lawsuit, which was first reported by the Daily Report, argues that Rolfe used deadly force “within the scope and course of his duties” in response to “Brooks’ violent, unlawful, aggressive resistance to a lawful arrest.”

The lawsuit asks a judge to hold a hearing and to order that Rolfe be immediately reinstated with back pay and other benefits.

The mayor’s office and police department did not immediately comment Wednesday on the lawsuit.

On June 12, Rolfe and Officer Devin Brosnan were responding to a call of a man found asleep in his car at a Wendy’s drive-thru. Body camera footage of the incident showed that Brooks was cooperating with the officers, calmly talking to them for over 40 minutes. When the officers told Brooks he had too much to drink and moved in to arrest him, Brooks resisted and ran off. Rolfe fired multiple shots at Brooks and an autopsy revealed that Brooks died after being shot twice in the back.

Rolfe was fired the day after the shooting and Brosnan, who is also out on bond, has agreed to cooperate with the state as a witness. During his time as an officer, Rolfe was subject to 13 different complaints and was previously reprimanded over a use of force complaint.