Court to Decide Fate of $1 Million Bail in Bridge Killing

A retired New York Police Department detective appears in Brooklyn court on Tuesday to determine if a grand jury has indicted him for killing a man on the George Washington Bridge.

Koran Irvine, 46, was shot and killed on Oct. 20 while driving home from work. Police say a near collision triggered the incident. The driver, identified as Romero, allegedly tailgated Irvine, pulled alongside his vehicle, and fired a single shot before driving away.

Romero was initially charged with murder. The charge was lowered to first-degree manslaughter when he first appeared in court on Thursday. He paid a $1 million bail and was released pending the next legal step.

Pressure is mounting on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to seek a higher charge. Frank Morales, the president of the ConEd union, sent a letter to Bragg on Friday. Morales urged the prosecutor to pursue second-degree murder charges. He also asked that Romero be held in custody while the case proceeds.

Morales argued that Romero should be treated the same as any other homicide suspect, regardless of his background in law enforcement. Union members and Irvine's family plan to hold a rally in Lower Manhattan at 4:30 p.m. to voice their demands.