A grand jury on Tuesday indicted three white Washington County sheriffs deputies on murder charges for their role in the Tasing death of a 58-year-old black man who they said acted "suspiciously" after asking a stranger for water.
Michael Howell, Henry Copeland and Rhett Scott were fired in October in connection. District Attorney Hayward Altman said there was no evidence that the victim, Euree Lee Martin, had broken any laws at the time he encountered police on July 7.
Cell phone video showing Martin’s death sparked outrage in Washington County, some two hours southeast of Atlanta. Martin’s niece, Elaine Brown, told The AJC she believes race was a factor.
The deputies are charged with felony murder, false imprisonment and aggravated assault, said the family for Martin’s attorney, Mawuli Davis. Bench warrants have been issued and arrests are expected shortly.
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