State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden announced today that a direct information has been filed charging former Okaloosa County Deputy Sheriff Eddie Lee Duran, Jr., with one count of Manslaughter with a Firearm. What she is saying her prosecutors chose not take this case to grand jury.
This charge arises from an incident on May 3, 2024, that resulted in the shooting death of Roger Fortson. A copy of the information is attached to this press release (see below).
A warrant for Duran’s arrest is outstanding at this time. If convicted as charged, Duran faces a maximum sentence of thirty years in state prison.
AP reports that only Florida law enforcement officers to be charged for an on-duty killing four times in the last 35 years. Only officers has been convicted.
Corrected Duran Charging Document
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