Special Prosecutor Named In Shooting Death Of Aaron Bailey

St. Joseph County Prosecutor Kenneth Cotter has been named as special prosecutor to handle the investigation into the shooting death of Aaron Bailey by Indianapolis police.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry says Cotter’s appointment was aimed at avoiding the appearance of conflict in the case.

He says he believes his office could handle the case but was worried about public perception.

The office is also prosecuting the killing of Southport Police Lieutenant Aaron Allan, which occurred one month after the officer-involved shooting death of 45-year-old black man, Aaron Bailey.

“As citizens of this county, we are sensitive and concerned about those issues,” Curry says.

He says the decision should not be taken as an indictment of his confidence in Indianapolis police.

“We have absolute faith in IMPD and it’s investigators to undertake a fair, complete and thorough investigation of this matter,” Curry says.

Satchuel Cole, vice president of activist group Don’t Sleep, was at the press conference. The organization began a campaign in July to call for Curry’s office to name a special prosecutor.

“Terry Curry might prosecute officers when they have drunk driving charges, or when they beat their wives, but not when they kill unarmed black men,” Cole says.

Curry says his office will begin to work with Cotter’s later this week to provide everything from the investigation up to this point.

The FBI has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting.