ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The man accused of attacking and critically injuring a Ferguson police officer may need to find a new defense attorney.
On Wednesday, high-profile defense attorney Scott Rosenblum filed a request to withdraw from Elijah Gantt's defense. The request did not provide a reason for the request.
Gantt was indicted by a grand jury on Sept. 4 with first-degree assault of a police officer and multiple counts of fourth-degree assault of other police officers in connection with the chaotic end to a day of protesting to mark the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown's death.
According to charging documents and video released in the days after the incident, a few people damaged the fence at the police station in the late night hours of Aug. 10, causing police to step in and make arrests. The grand jury indictment alleges Gantt kicked kicked six different police officers while trying to evade arrest. While fleeing police, he allegedly "charged" Officer Travis Brown, knocking him to the ground and leaving him with a serious brain injury.
In all, the grand jury indicted him on:
- one count of first-degree assault of a special victim
- six counts of misdemeanor assault of a special victim
- one count of misdemeanor assault
- one count of rioting
- one county of resisting arrest
- and one count of escape or attempted escape from custody while under arrest for a felony
Rosenblum filed his request on Wednesday, the same day Gantt was scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment. No other court dates are listed in online court records at the time of this publication.
