The Fulton County district attorney who charged 2 white police officers with murdering Rayshard Brooks has lost his job.
Paul Howard Jr. conceded defeat after he lost his runoff election to lost to challenger, Fani Willis, Tuesday night.
Howard also angered law enforcement officers by charging cops who pepper sprayed a young couple on their way home in downtown Atlanta during the George Floyd riots in June.
Howard served as Fulton County’s top prosecutor for more than 20 years. Willis is the first female district attorney in Fulton County.
Howard made headlines in June after half of Atlanta Police Department’s officers in zones 3, 4 and 6 walked off the job or called out sick in support of one of the cops who is charged with killing Brooks at a Wendy’s in Atlanta.
Howard was accused of rushing to judgment by charging two former cops with multiple felony murder counts in the death of Brooks.
Howard’s reign as DA was marred by controversies. He is currently under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for allegedly funneling $140,000 to his nonprofit to supplement his salary.
Last week, Howard agreed to pay a $6,500 fine to the state ethics commission, WSB-TV reported. Howard admitted he failed to disclose his role with two nonprofits that paid him more than $200,000.
Howard claimed the cash was a “pay raise”.
“I have every confidence that I’ll be totally exonerated because what I’ve done is what most Americans do all the time. They ask for a pay raise,” Howard told Channel 2 Action News.
Howard was first elected in January 1997, becoming the first Black man to be elected district attorney in the state of Georgia.
He is reportedly related to NBA star Dwight Howard.
