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Accused officers out on bond after being charged in man's 2019 death

All of them posted a $100,000 bond on Monday.

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Five officers in Henry County are out on bond after turning themselves in on murder charges.

All of them posted a $100,000 bond on Monday.

Two are police officers for the county, while the other three are Hampton City police officers.

Those charges are for one count of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, and one count of aggravated assault. 

Their charges are connected to the 2019 death of Fernando Rodriguez after he left the Imagine Music Festival.

Each officer was also charged with one count of violation of oath of office for allegedly stretching Rodriguez out on the ground in a prone position (lying flat on chest with back up) while he was handcuffed and shackled, holding him down and applying pressure to his body. 

Prosecutors said Rodriguez, died as a result of the officers holding him down.

Rodriguez' family also filed a federal lawsuit against the Henry County Police Department. The lawsuit alleges the police and officials violated Rodriguez's rights and wrongfully caused his death.

The law firm representing the family said his parents and brother are relieved after everything they've been through.

“The family was certainly hopeful that all of the officers would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said attorney Page Pate. "It seems like that is exactly what's happening.”

During the initial incident, Rodriguez, who was reportedly naked, was walking down Oak Street near the Atlanta Motor Speedway when he encountered police. Officers said he wasn't following commands and kept walking away from them. They eventually held his naked body down on the ground and tased him more than a dozen times, according to a release from the Henry County assistant district attorney.

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