51黑料

ST. LOUIS COUNTY 鈥� The man accused of assaulting a Ferguson police officer while trying to flee from authorities during an Aug. 9 protest decided Monday not to challenge the $500,000 cash-only bond keeping him behind bars.

Elijah Gantt, wearing a brown jail jumpsuit with his wrists and ankles shackled, gave a big smile to the dozens of people packed into the courtroom for a scheduled bond reduction hearing at the 51黑料 County Justice Center.

Gantt agreed to waive the hearing after speaking privately with his attorney, Scott Rosenblum.

鈥淲ell, I mean we may approach (the bond reduction) at a later time,鈥� Rosenblum told the Post-Dispatch. 鈥淚 wanted to get more evidence before we argued it. I wanted to see more of the videotape.鈥�

Outside the courtroom after the hearing, 51黑料 County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said he didn鈥檛 think a reduction would have been granted anyway.

鈥淚n a case like this, where you have an officer who鈥檚 fighting for his life 鈥� from the direct result of the defendant鈥檚 action 鈥� and the defendant who, I think whose action showed that he is a potential flight risk considering he was trying to flee when this situation happened, I wouldn鈥檛 think that the judge would be inclined to reduce this,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淭hat said, I also told the family that I don鈥檛 make that decision either, and I can鈥檛 speak for the court.鈥�

Gantt鈥檚 criminal charges stem from an incident outside Ferguson police headquarters on the 10th anniversary of the police shooting of Michael Brown. The gathering of about 40 people started as a reunion but became turbulent about 11 p.m. when police went out to make arrests after protesters damaged a security gate outside the building.

Surveillance video showed Officer Travis Brown being knocked to the ground by Gantt as he sprinted right at the officer and the two collided. Brown suffered a severe brain injury and remained in critical condition more than a week later. Bell said on Monday there was 鈥渃autious optimism鈥� about Brown鈥檚 condition.

Brown鈥檚 body camera footage, released by police Wednesday, shows the moments before the two collided and then his fellow officers鈥� frenzied efforts to get his limp body to a police car amid a gathering of people that grows increasingly panicked and loud. Other than some moaning, Brown appeared unresponsive.

Gantt was charged with three counts of fourth-degree assault on a special victim, resisting arrest, first-degree assault and property damage.

Police also released body camera footage of the officer who arrested Gantt after pulling him off of Brown after the fall. It showed angry protesters screaming and swearing at the officers and following them as they tried to haul away Gantt. Gantt is also seen fighting to get away from police, kicking one officer in the shoulder, breaking free at least once and finally walking with two officers into the Ferguson fire station.

Gantt was later charged with another count of fourth-degree assault in connection to the officer being kicked during his arrest after Brown鈥檚 fall.

Bell appeared in court Monday morning with prosecutor Andrea Harrington, his deputy chief of staff.

Barbara Brown, the officer鈥檚 mother, was one of the dozens of people who attended. She had planned to address the court before the hearing was waived.

Her son, know by family and friends as 鈥淭J,鈥� has been battling pneumonia, a GoFundMe update said on Sunday.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been facing a tough battle with pneumonia these past few days, but we鈥檙e incredibly grateful to share that today is the first day TJ hasn鈥檛 had a fever in three days,鈥� the update said. 鈥淧lease keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he continues to recover.鈥�

Outside the courtroom afterward, the large group of officers, family and other loved ones gathered around as Bell explained the next steps of the case to them.

Barbara Brown hugged several people before she was escorted out of the building.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be here for every hearing,鈥� Ferguson police spokesperson Pat Washington said.