Judge Denies Bond for Ex-Deputy

A Florida judge denied bond on Tuesday for a fired deputy charged in the fatal shooting of a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman, Roger Fortson, who answered his apartment door while holding a gun pointed at the floor. Former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, is facing a first-degree felony manslaughter charge in the May 3 shooting death of the 23-year-old airman. The rare charge against a Florida law enforcement officer could carry a punishment of up to 30 years in prison.

The judge ordered Duran held until a Thursday pre-trial detention hearing despite objections from Duran’s lawyer, who argued his client posed no flight risk. Attorney John Smith, representing Duran as part of the legal team for the Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association, expressed disagreement with the decision to charge Duran. “We reviewed the case, and we believe the case is one in which we disagree with the state.

We will proceed from that point and let the judge and jury make that decision,” Smith said. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office initially claimed Duran fired in self-defense after encountering a man with a gun.

judge denies bond for deputy

However, an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger when he opened fire. Sheriff Eric Aden stated that officers cannot shoot merely because a possible suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat. Authorities revealed that Fortson had been talking with his girlfriend in a FaceTime video call at the time, which recorded audio of the incident.

Duran had been sent to Fortson’s Fort Walton Beach apartment in response to a domestic disturbance report that was later found to be false. After repeated knocking, Fortson opened the door holding his handgun at his side, pointed down. Authorities say Duran shot him multiple times and only then told Fortson to drop the gun.

According to the internal affairs report, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he saw aggression in the airman’s eyes, leading him to believe he was about to be shot. The tragic incident has sparked significant debate and scrutiny regarding the actions and accountability of law enforcement officers.