Daniel Holtzclaw, the Oklahoma City police officer arrested in August and charged with sexually abusing eight black women, has supporters online who have raised more than $7,000, according to MLive.com.
According to the Raw Story, the 27-year-old cop is facing charges of "rape, forcible oral sodomy, sexual batter and indecent exposure" for allegedly assaulting women he encountered while on patrol. Prosecutors say Holtzclaw frequently stopped black woman between the ages of 34 and 58 "and threatened to arrest them or physically harm them unless they exposed themselves, allowed him to fondle them or had sex with him."
Holtzclaw, who has been an officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department for three years, is being held on $5 million bond, and friends and family have created a Facebook page called "Justice for Daniel Holtzclaw," the Raw Story reports.
According to the Raw Story, Holtzclaw's supporters have used the Facebook page to rally support for the officer, who they believe has been falsely charged based on erroneous allegations.
The page has received some 500 likes and also offers T-shirts for sale that read "Free the Claw" and "#JusticeForDanielHoltzclaw." There is also a crowdfunding page created by Holtzclaw's sister on the website GoFundMe. She hopes to raise $100,000 for her brother's legal defense; so far the site has netted $7,390.
"The pursuit of justice will be lengthy, but with the support of family, friends and the community, Daniel Holtzclaw will be vindicated and justice will prevail," the GoFundMe page reads. "All funds raised will assist Daniel and his family as they seek the justice Daniel Holtzclaw so rightly deserves."