But Gallagher had never dealt with a victim who held the keys to the kingdom. When Gallagher demanded Jenkins' release, Rosenberg had simply slid a laptop across the table and hit play. The high-definition body camera footage from both Jenkins and Walsh played in agonizing detail. It showed Valerie walking peacefully. It captured Jenkins' sneering, racially charged dialogue.
It clearly documented the exact moment Jenkins violently swept her legs out from under her, driving his knee into her spine while she was completely unresisting. Gallagher had watched the video in total silence. When it finished, he closed the laptop, stood up, and walked out of the room without saying a single word. He knew a sinking ship when he saw one. By Sunday night, the union had officially issued a statement declaring they would not be providing legal representation for Jenkins citing egregious violations of department policy.
Jenkins was completely on his own. On Monday morning, the news officially broke. Valerie had deliberately scheduled a press conference on the steps of the county courthouse. She wore a pristine, tailored navy blue suit. She had refused to use makeup to cover the dark purple bruise blossoming on her cheekbone, and she intentionally kept her hands unclasped in front of her, allowing the bandages on her wrists to be clearly visible to the sea of flashing cameras.
"On Saturday morning, I experienced a reality that far too many citizens in our community face on a daily basis. " Valerie spoke into the cluster of microphones, her voice strong and unwavering. "I was targeted, unlawfully detained, and violently assaulted by a sworn officer of the law. I am the chief prosecutor of this city. If an officer felt emboldened to do this to me in broad daylight, in an affluent neighborhood, imagine what is happening to those who do not have the platform, the legal knowledge, or the power that I possess. " The journalists erupted into a frenzy of shouted questions, but Valerie simply raised a hand, silencing them. "Officer Bradley Jenkins has been officially terminated from the police force, effective immediately," she continued, dropping the first bombshell.
"Furthermore, a special grand jury was convened yesterday afternoon. They deliberated for less than 20 minutes. Officer Jenkins has been indicted on charges of felony aggravated assault, felony false imprisonment, official misconduct, and deprivation of civil rights under the color of law. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond. " The collective gasp from the press corps was audible. A $1 million bond for a police officer was unprecedented.
It was the kind of bail reserved for cartel bosses and flight risk murderers. Inside the county jail, Jenkins watched the press conference on a small mounted television in the common area. He was wearing an oversized orange jumpsuit, a stark, humiliating contrast to the authoritative uniform he had worn just 48 hours ago. His fellow inmates, several of whom he had personally arrested and mocked in the past, were watching the television and then slowly turning their heads to look at him. "Man, you really messed up this time, Jenkins. " A heavily tattooed man named Hector whispered from across the metal table, a malicious grin spreading across his face.
"You put hands on the boss lady. " Jenkins felt a cold sweat break out across the back of his neck. His arrogance was entirely gone, replaced by a suffocating, paralyzing terror. He scrambled to the payphone on the wall, his hands shaking so violently he could barely dial the number for his private defense attorney, Robert Kessler. "Kessler, you got to get me out of here. " Jenkins pleaded the second the lawyer answered. "The judge gave me a million dollar bail.
I don't have a hundred grand for the bondsman. You have to file a motion to reduce it. " Kessler sighed heavily on the other end of the line. "Brad, I'm going to be honest with you. I just got off the phone with Judge Caldwell's clerk. The judge isn't going to budge on the bail.