ST. LOUIS COUNTY — The case against a Ferguson protester who knocked down a police officer and severely injured him in August should focus on the man's lack of intent to do so, his lawyer said Thursday.
Attorney Ryan Krupp said Elijah Gantt did not mean to hurt the officer and is being held on an unusually high bond, which was set at $500,000 cash when he was arrested.
"You really don't have any intent here, which is the major issue," he told reporters outside the courthouse. "And because there was no intent there, we don't see him as a danger to the community, and he's certainly not a flight risk."
Krupp added: "A tragic result is not tragic intent."
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Krupp made the statements after briefly appearing before Judge Bruce Hilton to state that he and attorney Tom Topping became Gantt's lawyers Wednesday evening. The court scheduled a bond reduction hearing for Dec. 12.
"We're this far into the process, it is somewhat unusual to have not had the opportunity to be heard on bond," Krupp said. "Mr. Topping and I feel strongly that Elijah is a great candidate for a bond reduction because he's not a significant danger to the community. "
Gantt, 28, is accused of pushing police Officer Travis Brown down while running from him and other cops during a protest on the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown’s death outside the Ferguson Police Department. Officers were trying to arrest Gantt and several others who were accused of damaging the department's front gate during the gathering.
Surveillance video and body camera footage showed Brown being knocked to the ground by Gantt as he sprinted right at the officer and the two collided.
Brown hit his head and suffered a severe brain injury. He has not regained consciousness since that night. His family on Oct. 7 said he was in stable condition and was under close observation as doctors began to wean him from sedation.
"He's making some real good progress," Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle said of Brown while in court Thursday for Gantt's hearing. He declined to comment further, saying he wanted to respect the family's privacy.
Gantt is charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault on a special victim, resisting arrest, first-degree assault and property damage.
He was brought into court by jailers just before noon Thursday. Sitting with a guard in the room's jury box, he quietly spoke with his attorneys for several minutes. He smiled at his siblings and mother who were in court to support him.
Krupp used the status hearing to schedule the December bond reduction hearing.
Gantt has had few other court appearances since his arrest. A heavily attended bond reduction hearing was set for Aug. 19, but his previous attorney waived that hearing after talking to Gantt in the courtroom.
“Well, I mean we may approach (the bond reduction) at a later time,†attorney Scott Rosenblum told the Post-Dispatch at the time. “I wanted to get more evidence before we argued it."
Rosenblum, a well-known defense attorney in the region, had entered Gantt's case that day, which was about a week after the protest. He was no longer representing Gantt on Sept. 26.
Rosenblum on Thursday declined to comment on his withdrawal from the case.