A bond hearing will be held Tuesday for the former Atlanta police officer charged with felony murder and other charges in Rayshard Brooks’ shooting death.
Garrett David Rolfe, 27, surrendered Thursday, a day after Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced criminal charges in the case.
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After turning himself in, Rolfe was moved to the Gwinnett County jail, where he was expected to remain through the weekend. On Friday, Rolfe waived his first court appearance and was being held without bond.
Also Friday, Rolfe’s attorney filed an emergency motion seeking bond.
“Mr. Rolfe is currently in the custody, without bond, based on warrants issued by a Superior Court Judge,” Atlanta attorney Noah Pines wrote in the motion. “The warrants were sworn prior to the GBI concluding its independent investigation into the death Rayshard Brooks.”
In the motion, Pines also questioned information Howard gave in his Wednesday press conference, including Howard’s claim that Brooks was “slightly impaired.” Friday night, officers responded to a downtown Wendy’s on a report that Brooks was asleep inside a car in the drive-thru window. The officers believed he was under the influence of alcohol.
Rolfe's bond hearing will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Judge Constance Russell's courtroom. Rolfe is expected to appear via video. The hearing will be an hour after the funeral for Brooks, planned at Ebenezer Baptist Church at 1 p.m.
The Georgia Law Enforcement Organization launched an online fundraiser this week to assist Rolfe with legal costs. The group said its goal has been met, but did not release a dollar amount.
“As many of you have seen in the media lately, officers are not being afforded their due process and their ‘leaders’ are not stepping up to the plate when they’re needed,” an online note from the organization’s president states. “This is where we come in.”
The Georgia Fraternal Order of Police is also accepting donations to benefit both officers, according to a post on the group's Facebook page. The Miami chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police announced it was donating $10,000 on Friday to assist with Rolfe's legal defense.
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