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| Rayshard Brooks funeral held at church where Martin Luther King preached | |
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| Service taking place at a church in Atlanta Tuesday for Rayshard Brooks, who was fatally shot by a police officer | |
| A private funeral for the Black man who was killed by a White police officer in a fast-food parking lot is taking place on Tuesday at the church in Atlanta where the Rev Martin Luther King Jr once preached. | |
| Rayshard Brooks’ gold casket was escorted by a black and white funeral hearse, and featured a poster that read “killed in Atlanta Georgia 2020”. | Rayshard Brooks’ gold casket was escorted by a black and white funeral hearse, and featured a poster that read “killed in Atlanta Georgia 2020”. |
| King’s daughter, the Rev Bernice King, was expected deliver remarks at the private service, along with a friend of Brooks, his mother-in-law, and the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the Rev Raphael Warnock, who is also a Democratic candidate for Senate. | |
| “Rayshard Brooks wasn’t just running from the police. He was running from a system that makes slaves out of people. A system that doesn’t give ordinary people who’ve made mistakes a second chance, a real shot at redemption,” Warnock plans to say, according to a short excerpt released Monday. | “Rayshard Brooks wasn’t just running from the police. He was running from a system that makes slaves out of people. A system that doesn’t give ordinary people who’ve made mistakes a second chance, a real shot at redemption,” Warnock plans to say, according to a short excerpt released Monday. |
| Officer Garrett Rolfe fatally shot Brooks in the back after Brooks fired a Taser in his direction while running away after a struggle with officers outside a Wendy’s restaurant on 12 June. Rolfe, 27, is white. Brooks, 27, was Black. | Officer Garrett Rolfe fatally shot Brooks in the back after Brooks fired a Taser in his direction while running away after a struggle with officers outside a Wendy’s restaurant on 12 June. Rolfe, 27, is white. Brooks, 27, was Black. |
| King’s daughter, the Rev Bernice King, also plans to deliver remarks at Brooks’ funeral, along with a friend of his and his mother-in-law, according to a draft program released by the church. | King’s daughter, the Rev Bernice King, also plans to deliver remarks at Brooks’ funeral, along with a friend of his and his mother-in-law, according to a draft program released by the church. |
| “Ebenezer is a parish for all people, a sanctuary for those who suffer,” Warnock said in a statement when the funeral plans were first announced. “Rayshard was not a member of our church but he, and his loved ones, are a part of our family. We seek to embrace them, comfort them and walk beside them in the days ahead.” | “Ebenezer is a parish for all people, a sanctuary for those who suffer,” Warnock said in a statement when the funeral plans were first announced. “Rayshard was not a member of our church but he, and his loved ones, are a part of our family. We seek to embrace them, comfort them and walk beside them in the days ahead.” |
| Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry has offered financial help for the services, according to that statement. Popular gospel singers Smokie Norful, Tamela Mann and Kurt Carr are expected to perform at Tuesday’s service. | Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry has offered financial help for the services, according to that statement. Popular gospel singers Smokie Norful, Tamela Mann and Kurt Carr are expected to perform at Tuesday’s service. |
| When officers responded to complaints of a car blocking the Wendy’s drive-thru lane, they found Brooks asleep in the car. Police body camera video then showed Brooks and officers having a calm and respectful conversation for more than 40 minutes. | When officers responded to complaints of a car blocking the Wendy’s drive-thru lane, they found Brooks asleep in the car. Police body camera video then showed Brooks and officers having a calm and respectful conversation for more than 40 minutes. |
| After conducting field sobriety tests, Rolfe told Brooks he’d had “too much to drink to be driving”. Brooks resisted being handcuffed, and he and the two officers wrestled on the ground. Brooks grabbed one of their Tasers and fired it in their direction as he ran away. | After conducting field sobriety tests, Rolfe told Brooks he’d had “too much to drink to be driving”. Brooks resisted being handcuffed, and he and the two officers wrestled on the ground. Brooks grabbed one of their Tasers and fired it in their direction as he ran away. |
| An autopsy found he was shot twice in the back. | An autopsy found he was shot twice in the back. |
| Rolfe was fired and the other officer, 26-year-old Devin Brosnan, was placed on desk duty after the shooting. Police chief Erika Shields stepped down less than 24 hours after Brooks died. | Rolfe was fired and the other officer, 26-year-old Devin Brosnan, was placed on desk duty after the shooting. Police chief Erika Shields stepped down less than 24 hours after Brooks died. |
| Fulton county district attorney Paul Howard announced 11 charges against Rolfe, including felony murder, and said the officer kicked Brooks as he lay dying. Brosnan, who the prosecutor said stood on Brooks’ shoulder as he struggled for his life, is charged with aggravated assault and violating his oath. | Fulton county district attorney Paul Howard announced 11 charges against Rolfe, including felony murder, and said the officer kicked Brooks as he lay dying. Brosnan, who the prosecutor said stood on Brooks’ shoulder as he struggled for his life, is charged with aggravated assault and violating his oath. |
| Lawyers for both men said their clients’ actions were justified. | Lawyers for both men said their clients’ actions were justified. |
| Interim police chief Rodney Bryant has said he was surprised Howard brought charges so quickly, before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had finished looking into the shooting. The GBI said in a tweet after Howard announced the charges that the agency was not consulted on the charges. | Interim police chief Rodney Bryant has said he was surprised Howard brought charges so quickly, before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had finished looking into the shooting. The GBI said in a tweet after Howard announced the charges that the agency was not consulted on the charges. |
| Both Rolfe and Brosnan turned themselves in Thursday. Brosnan was released on bond. Rolfe was being held without bond. | Both Rolfe and Brosnan turned themselves in Thursday. Brosnan was released on bond. Rolfe was being held without bond. |
| Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, a black man who died from an illegal chokehold enforced by a New York police officer in 2014, told CNN she “stand[s] with [the Brooks family] in solidarity”. | Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, a black man who died from an illegal chokehold enforced by a New York police officer in 2014, told CNN she “stand[s] with [the Brooks family] in solidarity”. |
| “I am so, so sympathetic and empathetic about the loss of their loved one,” she said. “That young man should not be dead, in my opinion, he was doing nothing, absolutely nothing, to bring on his death. He was really not a threat”. | “I am so, so sympathetic and empathetic about the loss of their loved one,” she said. “That young man should not be dead, in my opinion, he was doing nothing, absolutely nothing, to bring on his death. He was really not a threat”. |