Man sentenced to 20 years after attacking courtroom deputy
A Savannah man was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to attacking a Chatham County deputy in court, according to the Savannah Morning News.
A Chatham judge sentenced Ernest Lee Brooks, 43, Friday on charges of aggravated battery and obstruction in connection with the attack, the news outlet reported.
The incident happened about 8:45 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2018. Deputy James Barbee was with Brooks when a judge imposed a jail sentence for a probation violation, the Savannah Morning News reported.
“All of a sudden, for no reason, he just turned around and started hitting me,” the deputy said in court. Barbee suffered a torn rotator cuff and disc damage that required surgery, the news outlet reported.
“This was an absolutely unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting deputy,” Chatham County Chief Assistant District Attorney Greg McConnell said, according to the Savannah Morning News. “The defendant’s unrepentant.”
Brooks has five prior felony convictions that included at least two threats to kill police officers and an attack on a Chatham County jailer who he struck in the face, the newspaper reported.
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About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
