The widow of Rayshard Brooks and her legal team have requested a judge revoke the bond of former police officer Garrett Rolfe after he left for vacation in Florida on Sunday.
According to CNN, Tomika Miller and her attorneys held a press conference Wednesday to bring to light that Rolfe may have violated his bond.
As Blavity previously reported, Rolfe was charged with felony murder and aggravated assault on June 17 following the shooting of Brooks in a Wendy's parking lot. He was fired from the police force on June 13, and the other officer involved, Devin Brosnan, has been placed on administrative duty.
"I was baffled when I heard about this. It was very hurtful. It let me know that Officer Rolfe did not care about what the judge had laid down, as well as caring about how anyone else would feel," Miller said. "I'm hurt, and again, I'm just wondering when will justice be served? When will things change? It hurts, and I feel like something should be done."
On Tuesday, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard argued that Rolfe breached his bond by traveling to Florida without first informing the state of his plans, per a motion obtained by CNN. Howard’s office received an email from Rolfe’s attorney stating the former police officer left Monday, but records from his ankle monitor indicate he left for Daytona Beach at 6:58 a.m. on Sunday.
The bond order states Rolfe has a set curfew of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In his motion, Howard argued the order "expressly states that the Defendant is only allowed to leave home for medical, legal, or work-related obligations. Thus, [the] Defendant has clearly shown that he will not abide by the conditions of bond imposed by the Court."
L. Chris Stewart, regarded as a top injury lawyer in Georgia, said it’s hard to believe Rolfe would have the audacity to leave the state given the charges against him. He also noted that Rolfe’s case could set a troubling precedent if a judge doesn’t enforce the law.
"I believe that a lot of us would love to be on vacation, and it was mind-blowing to see that Officer Rolfe decided to ignore the court rules and regulations and standards that have been set upon him for his bond," Stewart said.
Tomika’s attorney Justin Miller condemned Rolfe’s actions, given his past as a police officer, as hypocritical.
"If a defendant did that, he would be the first person trying to get that defendant and arrest that defendant and bring them back saying that they were being disrespectful, that they violated an order,” he said. “What's good for the goose is good for the gander."
Tomika said the former officer’s antics are painful and make her question the integrity of the justice system.
"It just hurts and it shows me that officer Rolfe does not care, and it makes me wonder if I will ever get justice," she said.
In addition to the murder charge and five counts of aggravated assault, Rolfe faces four counts of violation of oath and one count of criminal damage to property. Rolfe’s legal team argues he reacted once he heard "a gunshot and saw a flash in front of him," per CNN.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick has yet to set a revocation hearing.
