Atlanta to Pay Only $1M to Settle Rayshard Brooks Case: White Cop Murdered Black Man by Shooting Him in the Back as He Fled from Misdemeanor Arrest, Posed No Threat. Cops Could Have Got Arrest Warrant

Mr. Brooks was under arrest for a traffic violation, which is a minor misdemeanor. As such, he was not a fleeing felon. The Supreme Court has explained the use of deadly force to prevent escape is unconstitutional, at least in regard to white citizens that is. The Court has explained,

The use of deadly force to prevent the escape of all felony suspects, whatever the circumstances, is constitutionally unreasonable. It is not better that all felony suspects die than that they escape. Where the suspect poses no immediate threat to the officer and no threat to others, the harm resulting from failing to apprehend him does not justify the use of deadly force to do so. It is no doubt unfortunate when a suspect who is in sight escapes, but the fact that the police arrive a little late or are a little slower afoot does not always justify killing the suspect. 

A police officer may not seize an unarmed, nondangerous suspect by shooting him dead… Where the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect poses a threat of serious physical harm, either to the officer or to others, it is not constitutionally unreasonable to prevent escape by using deadly force. Thus, if the suspect threatens the officer with a weapon or there is probable cause to believe that he has committed a crime involving the infliction or threatened infliction of serious physical harm, deadly force may be used if necessary to prevent escape, and if, where feasible, some warning has been given. 

Tennessee v. Garner - 471 U.S. 1 at page 11 (1985).

THE WHITE COPS HAD BROOKS’ CAR, DRIVERS LICENSE AND KNEW HIS ADDRESS. He could have been arrested at a future time. as such, the use force was unnecessary and evil

From [HERE] The Atlanta City Council on Monday voted to approve a $1 million settlement payment for the family of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot and killed by a police officer.

Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man, was shot following a confrontation with two white police officers in June 2020. The shooting came just weeks after the death of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. It sparked a new wave of demonstrations in Atlanta against police brutality and racial injustice.

A white special prosecutor appointed [racist suspect in top left photo] consider the case announced in August that the use of deadly force was “objectively reasonable.” Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, said he would not pursue charges against Officer Garrett Rolfe, who shot Brooks, and Officer Devin Brosnan.

Attorneys for the Brooks’ family say they remain disappointed that no charges were brought against the officers, but they said Monday that Brooks’ family is pleased to have reached a settlement with the city. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in September 2021 by Brooks’ widow, Tomika Miller, and his estate.

The City Council voted 15-0 Monday to approve the settlement. It said they “continue to hold out hope that the Dept. of Justice will intervene in this matter.”

Police responded on June 12, 2020, to complaints of a Black man sleeping in a car in the drive-thru lane of a Wendy's restaurant. Police body camera video shows the two officers having a calm conversation with Brooks for nearly 40 minutes.

White police officers said he resisted arrest after failing a field sobriety test during the Friday night incident. After a struggle they shot him as he fled away from them.

Video shows Brooks on the ground outside his car, struggling with two police officers.

Brooks grabbed the Taser of one officer. After a few seconds, Brooks broke free from the officers and began to run from police. One officer then used a Taser on him. The pair then run out of the frame of the video. 

Seconds later gun shots are heard along with someone yelling "I got him!" The video then shows Brooks prone on the ground. The black man posed no threat as he fled away from the white cop; at the time of the shooting the white cop had to have been at least 30 feet away from him. He was smart to run - they were trying to kill him.

Rolfe was fired the day after Brooks died, but his dismissal was reversed in May 2021 by the Atlanta Civil Service Board. The board found that the city failed to follow its own procedures for disciplinary actions.