DeKalb DA announces recusal in officer-involved shooting at future APS Public Safety Training Center
By On Common Ground News
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced today that her office is voluntarily recusing itself from the officer-involved shooting case that occurred on Jan. 18 at the future site of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in unincorporated DeKalb County.
During the course of an operation to clear trespassers on the property located near 1327 Key Road, a shooting occurred involving suspect Manuel Teran and a Georgia State Patrol Trooper. Teran was pronounced deceased at the scene after succumbing to injuries sustainedin a shootout with police The trooper was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office is a member of a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement agencies tasked with investigating and prosecuting acts of domestic terrorism and related charges occurring in and around the future site of the training center
The protocol for officer-involved shootings that occur in the DeKalb County jurisdiction is for the investigating agency, typically the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, to forward its investigative findings to the District Attorney’s Office for review, further investigation, if warranted, and prosecutorial consideration.
While there is no legal conflict, DA Boston cited the DeKalb County District Attorney Office’s involvement in the multi-jurisdictional task force as the primary reason for voluntary recusal from the officer-involved shooting associated with the operation.
“The overarching reasoning for my recusal is that it is simply the right thing to do,” said Boston. “It avoids the appearance of any impropriety and is consistent with the mission of my office and our efforts to instill community trust and confidence in our criminal justice system.”
On Jan. 24, Boston filed formal notice with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council of Georgia of her recusal decision and requested the appointment of an independent prosecuting agency.
Read the original story on OCGNews.com.
