WASHINGTON 鈥� A聽local police union head who strongly聽defends聽a former Fairfax County聽officer is drawing fire for the contents of聽a public letter that criticizes his department,聽elected leaders聽and the criminal justice system.
The President聽of Fairfax Coalition of Police Local 5000聽Sean Corcoran on the union’s Facebook page about the 2013 fatal shooting of John Geer.
In August 2013, Fairfax County police officers responded to a domestic dispute call at Geer鈥檚 Springfield, Virginia, home and arrived to find him at his front door, unarmed and unwilling to leave his house. After a standoff, court documents say then Fairfax County Officer Adam Torres shot Geer in the chest and killed him.
Fellow officers on the scene and other witnesses said Geer was holding his hands above his head at the time, according to court documents.
In the Facebook post Corcoran聽criticizes:
- The police department, saying Torres is a scapegoat being led to the slaughter because聽of聽institutional failures and the 鈥渋nability of senior officials to resolve administrative issues professionally and sensibly.鈥�
- Fairfax County聽Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Morrogh, saying聽statements Morrogh made at a bond hearing for Torres were聽salacious and聽“based on conjecture, rumor, and fallacies involving Adam鈥檚 personal life.”
- Circuit Court Judge Stephen Shannon for that made聽Torres聽a danger to society. Corcoran writes, “Where was this danger as Adam came and went from the public safety complex for the past two years?”
- Elected leaders, saying聽they issue platitudes praising police while聽barely giving officers聽resources and manpower needed to do the job.
Jeff Stewart, Geer鈥檚 friend of 25 years who witnessed the shooting, disputes many聽of the details described in聽Corcoran’s letter.
“In his letter, he says John made numerous threats to friends, family and police officers,” Stewart tells 海角社区app. “His statements are so off base and so irresponsible that聽it’s聽鈥� difficult even to fathom.”
Both Corcoran and聽Stewart serve聽on examining police policies and procedures that was formed after Geer’s death.
Fairfax County Police Chief聽 Edwin C. Roessler Jr. says聽Torres was terminated from the department on July 31 for violating 鈥減olicies and procedures on the use of force.鈥�
Torres is being held without bond. His trial is set to begin in December.
Read each man’s letter here:
