A Minneapolis man charged with murder has been freed by a bail fund that Vice President Kamala Harris promotes.
On Aug. 29, 47-year-old George Howard allegedly shot and killed 38-year-old Damian Martinez Ortiz during a road-rage incident. Afterward, Howard was charged with two counts of second-degree murder. Ortiz got out of his blue BMW and walked up to Howard’s white Volvo, and that’s when Howard fired his gun into Ortiz, leaving him with a fatal gunshot to the chest, The New York Post reports.
Howard, who has a criminal history, was released on an $11,500 bond after being involved in a domestic assault incident weeks before the road murder. However, he gained freedom from the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a project Harris supports.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund acknowledged Howard’s release. “We are aware of reports of the tragic and fatal shooting in Minneapolis earlier this week allegedly involving George Howard, an individual the Minnesota Freedom Fund had previously provided with bail support,” the organization tweeted.
It continued: “MFF believes that every individual who has been arrested by the law enforcement is innocent until proven guilty, and if a judge deems them eligible for bail, they should not have to wait in jail simply because they don’t have the same income or access to resources as others.” The group said it has “implemented changes” to its policies.
“MFF is closely monitoring developments in the case and will share more information as additional facts become known,” the statement read.
