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Alleged DWI Officer Gets $250,000 Bail

Aired August 10, 2001 - 10:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to bring you the latest now from New York City, where a police officer is at the center of a controversy. Joseph Gray is accused of killing several members of a family while driving drunk. He was arraigned just in the last hour.

Let's check in with our Jason Carroll, who is in New York City -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, Officer Joseph Gray is now in police custody. He was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs. He is now being held on $250,000 bail. As Officer Gray entered the courtroom, we got our first real look at the officer who was charged in a DWI case involving a family in which a family was killed.

Gray showed up with his wife, his mother. His pastor was with him as well. His attorney entered a plea of not guilty to manslaughter charges. Then the prosecution asked that $500,000 bail be set, calling Gray selfish and irresponsible for his acts. And Daryn, as you know, earlier in the week, another judge had let Gray go without setting bail, saying that he did not present a risk of flight.

Gray's attorney agreed with that, saying that he has roots in the community of Staten Island and did not present a risk of flight. But Judge Neil Firetog disagreed, saying that Gray was irresponsible, and in this case bail needed to be set. So he then set bail at $250,000.

Now, while all this was going on inside, outside a demonstration was going on. About 50 protesters showed up to support the family and to also voice their outrage over what has happened with regards to this case. We also had an opportunity to hear from the Herrera family outside the courthouse as they gathered with some of the other protesters, and they said that even though $250,000 bail had been set, it was not enough -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jason, I noticed in that video of what I think was Officer Gray and his wife there wearing these yellow ribbons. Do you know what those represent?

CARROLL: The yellow ribbons actually represent the victims. A lot of the victims' family and their friends have been wearing these yellow ribbons for the past several days and perhaps this is his way of showing his condolences. During the court proceeding, his attorney did say that he wanted to start off by saying that he wanted to express his condolences and that his client wanted to express his condolences to the family. With that, you heard a slight moan from the family members who were there in the courtroom -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jason Carroll in New York, thank you very much.

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