USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Accused road rage murder suspect George Howard—now being held in Minnesota—was bailed out of jail Aug. 6 2021 by the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a project once supported by Vice President Kamala Harris, according to Fox News and other news agencies.
The story has gained momentum after becoming more than just a talking point on Fox News programs. Whether the suspect is guilty or innocent will be determined by the courts. It appears Harris only made one suggestion via Twitter to support the non-profit bail group during the period when protests erupted in reaction to the death of George Floyd while being restrained by Minneapolis police.
Howard reportedly had been held on a charge of domestic abuse when he was bailed out. It took less than a month for him to land back into custody on the more serious charges. As reported by the New York Post, the 47-year-old Howard is now facing two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the slaying of Luis Damian Martinez Ortiz on Aug. 29 during a road rage incident on Interstate 94. Howard allegedly shot Martinez Ortiz in the chest and then drove away. He was reportedly at the wheel of a white Volvo.
According to KSTP News, “From a previous conviction, Howard is prohibited from possessing a firearm.” An image of Howard’s bail release form shows he apparently also goes by the name “Ricco Passmore.” It’s not clear what the “previous conviction” was for.
This presents more than one problem for the anti-gun Harris, who campaigned on a platform of gun control when she was running for president, and then when she was campaigning as Joe Biden’s running mate last year. Gun control laws apparently did not prevent the suspect from being armed. It has not been reported whether the gun was recovered or where it came from.
If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota. https://t.co/t8LXowKIbw
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) June 1, 2020
In June 2020, Harris tweeted, “If you’re able to, chip in now to the @MNFreedomFund to help post bail for those protesting on the ground in Minnesota.” It now appears the group has been helping with bail expenses for suspects involved in other alleged crimes and not just public protests.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund supported the $11,500 bond to get Howard out of jail. According to Fox News, the organization “tweeted Friday admitting to its role putting Howard back on the streets. On Tuesday, the thread was inaccessible on Twitter but preserved by the Internet Archive.” Here is the text of that message:
“We are aware of reports of the tragic and fatal shooting in Minneapolis earlier this week allegedly involving George Howard, an individual the Minnesota Freedom Fund had previously provided with bail support. MFF believes that every individual who has been arrested by the law enforcement is innocent until proven guilty, and if a judge deems them eligible for bail, they should not have to wait in jail simply because they don’t have the same income or access to resources as others.”
The group reportedly said it is “monitoring” the case and is “reviewing its policies.”
WCCO, the CBS affiliate in Minneapolis, reported that Howard “was driving a white Volvo on Dowling Avenue North when he engaged in a “road rage incident” with a blue BMW on an entrance ramp to the interstate,” as detailed by the Minneapolis police.
“Authorities say video surveillance cameras captured the incident as the victim exited his BMW and approached Howard on the driver’s side door of the Volvo,” WCCO added. “The video shows the victim punch Howard and then collapse as the Volvo drove away. The victim stood up, got into his vehicle, and crashed into the center median.”
In August 2020, Fox News reported that the Minnesota Freedom Fund “received donations from a number of Joe Biden campaign staffers as it saw a $35 million fundraising windfall in the weeks after (George) Floyd’s death.”
According to KSTP News, police investigators managed to get the license plate from the Volvo thanks to surveillance video. They reportedly were able to “track Howard” to a gas station near the crime scene, where yet another surveillance video reportedly caught the suspect getting out of the car as a passenger slide behind the wheel and then drove away. KSTP reported, “The passenger told investigators Ortiz allegedly punched Howard before Howard allegedly fired a shot and left the scene.”
Howard has been charged with second-degree murder with intent and second-degree murder without intent, according to the Daily Mail.
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
She probly slept with him also
She ALSO BEE a chicken-head.
Soooo… she might just be workin’ da shaft & balls.
Naw the vice whore is too busy with her heels up and flat on her back to be bothered by anything else.
This is not about Malania
More to the point, it’s not about your mom.
@AZL,
Some things cause the stomach to rumble, causing to rise, ever higher, … one’s lunch.
How can you be so stupid?
There are 15,000 illegals stuck at Del Río Bridge and hundreds more coming every hour. Almost 2 million year to date.
I have an idea why don’t we all chip in five bucks and send this piece of shit to the country of his choice that hates America. Only catch is you have to turn in your passport before you leave and give up your citizenship.
And every one of those unlawful foreign invaders is there by THEIR OWN CHOICE. NO ONE was forced to travel to that border. They ALL know they can’t lawfully get in.
So your mom’s name is “Malania”, Comrade? LoL!
Update: Downvoted by thin-skinned commie copsuckers! LoL!
She is complicit.
IF this had been you or I, we’d be considered “accomplices after the fact”…
Kameltoe Harris really doesn’t give a fat rats a$$ about coward Howard; first, it was not HER money that bailed him out, and second, she only lost a democrat vote, not that jail is gonna stop him from voting ! Heck, the victim, Ortez, is probably on the Democrats voter rolls now that he’s deceased.
If this guy is found guilty of murder the MFF can use some of the money to pay the victims family after they sue the shit out of the Minnesota freedom fund for putting this guy back on the street !
It will be self defense. But he will be charged on weapons, fleeing crime scene & whatever other charges they can dream up.
Thank you Dave for interesting and informative article. Amazing how spin shapes public opinion. Seems link to harris is tenuous at best, but is touted for political purposes to cut her down. Doesn’t seem to me the woman needs any help putting her in a bad light – but that’s just me. More amazingly the shooting itself, and subsequent prosecution could have been spun very differently. From your description of video and testimonial evidence, sounds as though shooting might have been self defense. Final determination is up to jury on that. Many issues of importance to forum members are involved… Read more »
No matter how tenuous the link it’s still there. If this was anything a conservative had done the hyena’s of the media would be pounding that drum 24/7 and it’s time we do it back. The time for giving anyone on the left any sort of courtesy is over. Fling it back, and fling it back harder.
Unfortunately I agree with you.
This piece of shit should not have been on the street in the first place. For that we can blame The Traitor Harris.
This is what happens when you let the fox (big tech) run the hen house (USA)
their wihngey plea that no ne should remain in jail because they dont have enough cash to post bail. Well, some folks are broke for good reason….. and based on what we know of this Howard guy’s life, he’s one of them. The bail system was established to help those with strong ties to their community be able to secure theirliberty whilst awaiting and preparing for trial. IF we truly had SPEEDY triels, (not some hearing to decide what to do happening twoyears down the road) we’d not need bail half so much. Most folks, when arrested and booked, will… Read more »
In all fairness can we expect the V.P. to be involved in every case? I don’t and didn’t support her in condoning rioting it is just a political move to her to try to get more voters that don’t think but only feel whipped up in this issue.
Donations have consequences. The left would use the same optic to attack any conservative. It’s time we use the same playing field.
We can expect the DOJ to DO THEIR JOB!
Liability for conduct of another — Complicity. (1) A person is guilty of a crime if it is committed by the conduct of another person for which he or she is legally accountable. (2) A person is legally accountable for the conduct of another person when:
RCW 9A.08.020: Liability for conduct of another—Complicity.
Washington law does not apply in Minnesota.
that she would (virtual signal) support bailing out people who commit serious crimes speaks volumes about her character. he had been charged of domestic violence previously, that makes him a prohibited person who was carrying a firearm. gun laws do not work. yet she wants to take away a law-abiding citizens right to defend themselves against animals like this.
the biden admin should raise the same amount for the jan. 6 people. after all he is the president of ALL citizens of the UNITED STATES!
For ~40 yrs & progressively since ’97, LaPierre & Co – crooks, sweetheart vendors, rubber-stamp rube ‘directors’ – pocketed $Billions that could’ve saved Cali & the USA so we never would’ve heard of Kamala Sutra.
https://nraindanger.wordpress.com/2021/09/17/ny-suit-to-dissolve-nra-answers-and-motions-filed/
Will you ever disclose, and apologize for putting them in power?
“We tried to fire Wayne in ’97. Workman turned coat to save him, 32-33.”
~ https://www.ammoland.com/2019/07/shit-storm-todays-nra-heads-need-to-roll/#comment-2765008
To play the Devil’s advocate: is there a self defense angle to the incident? The “victim” approached Howard’s white volvo and attacked the driver.
OK…Go.
Do you shoot everyone who tries to punch you?
If I didn’t know them. It would be safe to say yes. Do you just let people smack you around ? lmao
And? Are you saying a Person not convicted of a crime should not have bail?
Very North Korean of you
Purpose of bail is to provide additional motivation for the accused to return for trial. What makes you think someone is going to show up for trial when they have no ties to the community, felony record and no equity in their bail? i think our current bail system is in need of serious reform, but I doubt we would support the same reforms. (1) Eliminate bail bondsmen and all bail payments by anyone other than the accused and immediate family. (2) reduce bail amounts – current amounts are often nonsensical, requiring use of bondsmen effectively removing motivation to return… Read more »
@Finnky, Wait, slow down just a moment. The purpose of bail is to allow the accused to participate in his own defense, shop for a lawyer that he has confidence in and give that lawyer all the facts that will aid in the defense. Wouldn’t we all want that if we were accused? The founders were all lawyers and understood this. They also understood that denial of aiding in one’s own defense was a technique of the King. You correctly identify the purpose of posting a bond is to encourage return for trial. AzLeftist just stated the case for bail… Read more »
Thank you @WB. I also stated my case poorly. Yes I absolutely would want ability to participate in my defense. Also would prefer to not spend any time in jail. i have no direct experience with our bail system, so could be wildly off here. My impression is that bail is often set beyond any amount the accused can put up, even with assistance of friends and family. (Prior post should have limited funding to those with personal ties to the accused rather than just family). Bails bondsmen make a living by taking cash payment to put up bond. If… Read more »
@Finnky,
I am glad to hear that you have no experience with the Bail/Bond system.
Bondsmen make a profit on the amount paid for a bail bond minus their costs for some very expensive soft ware and the skip tracers that they employ.
Yes, andI thing that we both force that false accusation thing is going to get used against more and more of us now that the marxists are in power.
That last part is actually false. Bail is set by certain standards and the discretions of the court. The idea is IF your mom puts up her house for a bail bond (usually 10% of bail), you will show up to court. Then the bond is returned to the bondsmen. Unfortunately 10% is your cost for the bond. I believe this is where the breakdown of the family unit has failed in this country for decades. It’s a sad time in our history right now. Someone on here posted about unalienable rights a week or so ago. We need to… Read more »
~”Eliminate bondsmen & bail by other than accused & close family”
That sword cuts ‘law & order’ fans who push it. We should be able to donate to bail unarmed “insurrectionists”, you when they take you, poor souls with no family, etc. Bondsmen are incentivized to ensure defendants show.
Boo hoo. Butthurt copsmokers can downvote, but don’t have the mental ability to refute without lame strawman arguments.
Why are you here?
You’re a moron.
You should have been swallowed at birth.
Tell the truth. Your dumb ass originally came from Commiefornia…
SAY THEIR NAMES, Bubba.
<crickets chirping>