Atlanta. After the death of African American Rayshard Brooks after a police operation in the US metropolis of Atlanta, the prosecution charged one of the officials involved with murder, among other things. The policeman used excessive force, prosecutor Paul Howard said in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday. The victim had previously “never shown any aggressive behavior” or presented a threat in more than 40 minutes of conversation. If convicted, the official faces life imprisonment without parole or even the death penalty.
The 27-year-old’s death after the operation had further fueled nationwide protests against police violence and racism in the United States after the George Floyd case in Minneapolis. Brooks had fallen asleep at the wheel of his car on Friday evening as he waited in line at a fast food restaurant. The police officers who were called in realized that he had been drinking too much and wanted to arrest him. There was a scuffle, Brooks grabbed an official’s electric baton and fled. One of the two policemen fired shots that hit him in the back and fatally injured. He was released without notice and the other officer was temporarily suspended.
The second police officer involved was also charged
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According to Prosecutor Howard, Brooks’ behavior before the escalation was cooperative and “almost cheerful”. After the man went down, the now accused policeman kicked the person lying on the floor. Nobody cared for the 27-year-old for over two minutes while he was fighting for his life. A bullet from the cop had hit Brooks’ heart. In a first statement, the police officer then said “I caught him”.
According to Howard, the second police officer involved was also indicted, among other things, for serious physical injury. He had stood on the shoulders of the dying man, as could be seen in the pictures. He also agreed to testify as a witness. According to the investigators, the investigators had evaluated a total of eight videos, including the body cameras of the police officers, for the charges. In addition, witnesses were heard and a ballistic analysis and the preliminary autopsy report were inspected.
Mayor of Atlanta announced police reform on Monday
Brooks died less than three weeks after African American George Floyd was killed in a brutal police operation in the state of Minnesota. Floyd’s fate has sparked protests against police violence and racism.
The fast-food restaurant in Atlanta, where the crime occurred, went up in flames the following night. Atlanta police chief Erika Shields resigned.
The Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms, announced a police reform on Monday. Police officers should be “protectors, not warriors,” said the mayor on Monday. It enacted regulations to limit the use of force by police officers to the bare minimum. All officials would have to be trained in de-escalation again and again in the future, she explained. In addition, all police officers would have to intervene in the event of excessive use of force by colleagues and also report this to avoid penalties.
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