LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he is "shocked" after learning the man accused of shooting at Louisville mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg is out on bail.
Police said Quintez Brown walked into Greenberg’s office Monday morning and fired several rounds directly at Greenberg.
The Louisville Community Bail Fund, co-founded by Black Lives Matter Louisville organizer Chanelle Helm, posted Brown's $100,000 bond Wednesday night.
"Less than 48 hours after this activist tried to literally murder a politician, the radical left bailed their comrade out of jail,” McConnell said during a speech on the Senate floor Thursday. “It is just jaw-dropping. The innocent people of Louisville deserve better."
Brown, a prominent activist and organizer for BLM Louisville, has been charged with one count of attempted murder and four counts of wanton endangerment.
Greenberg said when Brown fired the shots, less than 10 feet away from him, he and four of his campaign staffers were in a meeting.
No one was injured, but Greenberg's sweater was grazed by a bullet.
"I'm confident that if an activist claiming to be conservative tried to assassinate a politician, whatever his mental state, the media would open a 24-7 ‘national conversation’ about rhetoric on the right," McConnell said.
McConnell said violence like this shouldn't be tolerated.
"Political violence is uniquely unacceptable in a democratic republic," he said
Online and on social media, people question whether bail should even be offered since the victim is running for mayor.
But Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Simms, a partner at Murphy & Associates, said the law requires bail in most cases.
"Judges are required to presume somebody to be innocent. The presumption of innocence is something that starts in the beginning and goes through an entire case regarding a criminal defendant," Simms said.
"So yes, they'll consider the nature of the allegations in the current case if they're serious allegations, but a judge is required to assume that is all they are is allegations," he said. "They can't assume them to be true and accurate."
There have also been questions raised about Brown's mental health.
After Brown's arrest Monday, Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields said they aren't sure what the motive was in this case, but did mention mental health, religion or politics could be behind it.
Brown's lawyer has requested a mental health evaluation.
Simms said that doesn't happen in every case, but he understands why it did here.
"From what I understand about the allegations in Mr. Brown's case, I think most people would entertain the possibility that walking into a candidate's office in broad daylight and start firing shots is something that might indicate some possible mental health concerns,” Simms said.
Contact reporter Rachel Droze at rdroze@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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