Ben Crump pledged to "seek accountability" after a Florida jury acquitted former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran of manslaughter in the May 3, 2024, shooting death of Senior Airman Roger Fortson. Body-camera footage shown at trial depicted Fortson opening his apartment door while holding a handgun at his side before Duran fired multiple close-range shots. Duran had been fired by the sheriff, and Crump has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Fortson's family as officials urged peaceful responses to the verdict.
Ben Crump Vows To 'Seek Accountability' After Ex-Deputy Acquitted In Fatal Shooting Of Airman
FILE PHOTO: A photo of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson is displayed during a press conference at Mt. Zion Second Baptist Church, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., June 3, 2024. Okaloosa County Sheriff Deputy Eddie Duran shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson inside Fortson’s home in Florida and has since been terminated from his job. REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer/ File Photo
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump pledged to "seek accountability" after a Florida jury acquitted former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran of manslaughter in the May 3, 2024, shooting that killed U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson.
Jurors returned a not guilty verdict at the end of a four-day trial following roughly two hours of deliberation. Prosecutors said deputies were responding to a disturbance complaint that did not involve Fortson; Fortson's family maintains the deputy knocked on the wrong door.
Body-worn camera footage shown at trial captured Fortson, 23, opening his apartment door while holding a handgun at his side with the muzzle pointed toward the floor. The video then shows the deputy firing multiple close-range shots. Fortson later died at a hospital.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran a month after the shooting, saying the use of deadly force was not reasonable. The State Attorney's office urged the public to respond "peacefully" to the verdict and acknowledged the decision would cause pain, anger or disappointment for many, particularly in the broader national conversation about law enforcement and race.
Ben Crump: "Roger's life and his service will always matter. His family will keep fighting for him, and we will stand with them as they pursue their civil rights case in federal court and seek accountability for the tragic loss of life."
Crump has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Fortson's family naming Duran, the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and other parties. Crump previously secured multimillion-dollar settlements in other high-profile police-use-of-force cases.
Fortson served with the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field and was posthumously awarded the Air and Space Commendation Medal. The family and their attorneys say they will continue to pursue legal remedies in federal court.
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