Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police President Rick Snyder was furious upon hearing the news Thursday that Marion County judge Shatrese Flowers released a man on home detention and GPS monitoring who is currently awaiting trial for brutally shaking his 4-month-old infant son to death in September of this year.
Brandon Herring, 22, is charged with aggravated battery, a level 1 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison if convicted.
The suspect admitted to investigating officers in September that he was responsible for his son Jaxson’s injuries. Herring then used a baby doll to show how he shook Jaxson for seven to 10 seconds, according to an affidavit.
Herring previously cut off his GPS monitor and ran from authorities in October. He was arrested ten days later by U.S. Marshals.
Snyder was apoplectic with rage at Judge Shatrese Flowers’ decision to release Herring on home detention a second time.
“Shaking an infant to death is not as quick as pulling the trigger on a firearm,” Snyder explained to WIBC’s Hammer and Nigel. “You’re talking about an injury that occurs because the brain starts rotating in the skull as a result of the violence from the shaking.”
He continued: “The records show that this poor 4-month-old infant, Jaxson, had clear, non-accidental trauma giving retinal hemorrhages, which is bleeding in the eyes. He also suffered a diffuse intracranial injury, which is the shearing of the brain’s long connecting nerve fibers as it rotates inside the skull. So how can any reasonable adult, let alone a judge who is charged with dispensing justice in our community, look at that and send somebody back to home detention for a second time?”
Snyder said he has one question for Judge Shatrese Flowers: “How does a decision like this serve the safety of the general public, which is the number one responsibility of any government official?
Snyder said is disgusted at politicians, local officials, and those in the judicial system who continue to put “politics before people.”
“Victims deserve better,” said Snyder. “And I say that for all victims, but especially a little 4-month-old infant who cannot defend himself and is dependent upon a father who is alleged to have done this. How did a judge look at that and make this decision?”
Snyder noted that Judge Shatrese Flowers has an established track record of making decisions that resulted in disastrous outcomes.
“This is the judge who radically reduced the bond of the male who was accused of stabbing someone in the face,” said Snyder. “[Flowers] reduced the suspect’s bond from $30,000 to $1,500. And while that person was out on bond, he is alleged to have stabbed his girlfriend 51 times and then cut her body up.”
Snyder said it’s time for rational adults to start leading on this issue of releasing violent offenders back on the streets of Indianapolis.
“But here’s what we see instead,” said Snyder. “Our Mayor, our City-County Council, our Marion County are silent. Where are they? I can point you to our press conference that we did yesterday after two IMPD officers were stabbed by a suspect who was out on bond. I can point you to the on-camera interviews that we gave to media outlets. Point me to theirs.”
Click below to hear our full interview with FOP President Rick Snyder.
