Ex-Cop Facing Murder Charges Faints in Fairfax Court After Bail Denied: Report

Former Fairfax County Police officer Adam Torres, facing second-degree murder charges in the death of a Springfield-area man during a 2013 standoff, fainted in court Wednesday morning after a judge denied bail, according to a report by WUSA-9.

Torres made his first appearance in court Wednesday morning; he is accused of wrongfully shooting and killing John Geer, 46, in a standoff on Aug. 29, 2013, after a call about a domestic dispute at Geer’s home in Springfield. Geer was not armed when he was shot; Torres has said Geer’s hands were down and moving toward his waist, while other officers on the scene at the standoff at Geer’s home have said his hands were up when he was shot.

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R) of Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, writing Fairfax Police Chief Edwin Roessler Jr. to demand a full accounting of the internal investigation. Grassley reminded the chief that “questions about the use of deadly force should be handled in a manner that reinforces public confidence in law enforcement.”

The courtroom was cleared Wednesday morning after Torres fainted; the judge set his trial for Dec. 14, WUSA reported.

Torres was initially put on administrative leave after the shooting; the county paid $3 million to Geer’s family, to settle a wrongful death lawsuit, according to several media reports. The county fired Torres on July 31 and he turned himself in on Monday.

PHOTO of Adam Torres courtesy of Fairfax County Police Department