FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) 鈥� A judge allowed bond Thursday for a Florida sheriff's deputy who was fired and charged with manslaughter after shooting a at the Black man's apartment door.
Former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter with a firearm, a rare charge against a Florida law enforcement officer. Duran's body camera recorded him shooting 23-year-old Roger Fortson on May 3 immediately after Fortson opened the door while holding a handgun pointed at the floor.
Thursday鈥檚 hearing was before Judge Terrance R. Ketchel, who has been named the trial judge for Duran鈥檚 case. Ketchel set bond at $100,000 and said Duran cannot possess a firearm and cannot leave the area, though he will not have to wear a GPS tracker.
Thursday's pretrial detention hearing despite arguments from his lawyer Rodney Smith, who said there's no reason to jail him.
鈥淗e has spent his entire life ... his entire career and his military career trying to save people, help people," Smith said at Thursday鈥檚 hearing. "He鈥檚 not a danger to the community.鈥�
Duran has been homeschooling his six children in recent months while he鈥檚 been out of work and while his wife has been working full-time, Smith said.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff鈥檚 Office initially said Duran fired in self-defense after encountering a man with a gun, but Sheriff Eric Aden after an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger when he opened fire. have also said that an officer cannot shoot only because a possible suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat.
Duran was responding to a report of a physical fight inside an apartment at the Fort Walton Beach complex. as the location, according to sheriff's investigators. At the time, Fortson was alone in his apartment, talking with his girlfriend in a FaceTime video call that recorded audio of the encounter. showed what happened next.
After repeated knocking, Fortson opened the door. Authorities say that Duran shot him multiple times and only then did he tell Fortson to drop the gun.
Duran told investigators that he saw aggression in Fortson's eyes and fired because, 鈥淚鈥檓 standing there thinking I鈥檓 about to get shot, I鈥檓 about to die.鈥�
At Thursday's hearing, Smith said his team has cooperated with authorities, saying that "we鈥檝e turned him in. He鈥檚 not going anywhere.鈥�
Smith acknowledged the video evidence of the shooting and national interest in the case.
鈥淲e know that we have defenses that we鈥檙e going to assert ... qualified immunity, stand your ground as applies to law enforcement,鈥� Smith said.
The from Georgia was one of a growing list of killings of Black people by law enforcement in their own homes, and it also over Florida鈥檚 鈥淪tand Your Ground鈥� law. Hundreds of Air Force members in dress blues joined , friends and others .
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Associated Press Writer Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed.
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Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Kate Payne, The Associated Press
