Trooper shooting suspect released 3 times this year over objections

By Bill Rankin and Rhonda Cook

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Before he was charged Tuesday with killing a state trooper, Gregory Favors had been arrested three times this year after trying to flee police, court records show.

Each time, Favors obtained bond in Fulton County. Each time a pretrial services officer had recommended against it, court records show.

The three arrests this year are among 18 times Favors has been arrested dating back to the 1990s. His 19th arrest this week was for the murder of Trooper First Class Chadwick LeCroy, who was shot after police say he had pursued Favors on Bolton Road.

Favors’ prior convictions include cocaine possession and distribution, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing and attempting to elude police, making false statements, forgery, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence, court records show.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Fulton Chief Judge Cynthia Wright noted that the Superior Court Pretrial Services had recommended Favors not be released. She said the judges were “saddened” by the shooting, but they declined to comment further on the case since it will likely be coming before them. Wright said the court is currently reviewing information related to Favors and his history in the Atlanta Judicial Circuit.

Favors’ first arrest this year occurred in February after police observed him driving at a slow speed in a neighborhood where residents had reported a large number of burglaries. When police tried to stop him, Favors sped off and later crashed his 1991 Honda Accord into a utility pole, court records show.

Police found a laptop, a printer and a cell phone inside the car. They also ran a check and traced the car back to Favors. On March 17, a Fulton County pretrial services officer recommended that Favors not be released on bond.

But a judge allowed it and, two days later, Favors was released on $10,000 bond, court records show.

When he failed to appear for his April 29 court date, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Police ran across Favors again on June 25 in northwest Atlanta, observing him making a hand-to-hand drug transaction next to a silver automobile, according to court records.

Police ordered the two men to the ground and they both dropped, although police say Favors began to slowly back away. They also saw him put a small baggie in his mouth and swallow it, police said.

Favors then took off running but was caught after a brief chase. When he refused to place his hands behind his back, an officer subdued him with pepper spray, according to court records.

The keys found on Favors were the keys to the silver car. Inside, police found a small baggie of crack cocaine, court records say.

The next day, a pretrial services officer recommended Favors be detained, noting he was already on probation for drug and gun possession charges and had pending charges for the incident in February.

Favors stayed in jail until his preliminary hearing on July 9. At that hearing, the arresting officer failed to appear and Fulton Magistrate Richard Hicks allowed Favors to be released on $3,000 bond, court records show.

In an interview Thursday, Hicks said he granted bond because prosecutors could not show probable cause for the arrest without the officer’s testimony.

On July 23, Favors pleaded guilty to the charges stemming from his arrests in February and June. He received a 30-year sentence, with 60 days to be spent in custody and the rest on probation.

The sentence also required Favors to receive drug treatment and allowed the probationary sentence to be suspended after five years if he successfully completed the terms and conditions. In addition, he was ordered to pay a $500 fine and $2,000 in restitution to Georgia Power for the damaged utility pole.

It was not long after Favors’ release from that sentence when he was arrested again. This time, on Dec. 10, Atlanta police said they saw Favors and another man using a broken antenna to break into a 2004 Ford Mustang.

Police ordered both men to drop. Favors’ co-defendant, Larry Browning, did as he was told. Favors ran off.

When he was finally caught, Favors resisted arrest and scuffled with the officer, scratching him from his cheek to his neck and drawing blood, court records say.

Police found a bag of powder cocaine and a screwdriver on Favors and charged him with entering an auto, possessing tools to commit a crime, possessing cocaine and two counts of obstructing a police officer.

The next day, a Fulton pretrial services officer recommended against Favors being released on bond. At that point, Favors had told authorities his name was Manuel Frazier and that he lived at Maynard Place, not on Hightower Court where he has lived for 17 years, according to court records.

The pretrial services officer noted that because “Frazier” had refused to be interviewed, the information he was giving could not be verified. “He does appear to be a flight risk,” the pretrial officer’s report said.

But Fulton Magistrate Roy C. Roberts granted Favors a $19,000 bond on Dec. 13, according to court records. He was soon released on a signature bond, meaning he put up no bail money.

Roberts was not immediately available for comment.

But Hicks, a longtime magistrate judge, said Thursday that Roberts granted the bond because Favors had not been brought before a judge within the timeframe as required by law.

“Judge Roberts had no alternative but to release him,” Hicks said. “That’s the law and that’s the reason he did what he did.”