Source: Douglas Sacha / Getty
The case of Roger Fortson has been front of mind for BOSSIP since news of his tragic death was released earlier this year. As we previously reported, Fortson was a senior airman in the United States Air Force living in Fort Walton Beach, Florida when he was gunned down by Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy named Eddie Duran. Duran went to Fortson’s apartment in response to a false domestic violence report that was called in.
According to APNews, Duran was arrested this week after turning himself in on first-degree manslaughter charges that carry a potential 30-year prison sentence.
KTBS reports that a judge denied Duran a bond during his video conference court appearance.
“They know he’s going to show up,” attorney Rod Smith said. “We believe that he’s no risk, no flight risk. He’s going to show up Thursday, he’s going to show up any time, he need not spend the time in the jail the next few days.”
Eddie Duran pounded on the apartment door while a startled Fortson was on FaceTime with his girlfriend. Fearing that he was being robbed or that someone was trying to break in, a reasonable thought considering how often we see forced entry crimes these days, he approached the door holding his pistol. Let Duran tell it, “I’m standing there thinking I’m about to get shot, I’m about to die.”
We’ll see if a jury buys that story.
