A Cobb County grand jury has indicted a former deputy recruit accused of attacking an inmate, according to court records.
Jacqun Mellian Brown was indicted Thursday on two counts of violation of oath by a public officer and one count of battery. He was arrested in February and later granted a $20,000 bond, court records show.
“The deputy was moving the detainee in an attempt to de-escalate a disturbance,” Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens said during a news conference announcing the arrest. “There was an exchange of words and, as a result, the deputy attacked in a clear violation of all our training, protocols and policies.”
Brown was fired, Owens said. Brown’s arrest warrant described the attack, which was captured on jail cameras.
“Said accused did intentionally make physical contact and caused visible harm to said victim, by striking the victim with multiple, closed fist punches and applying choke holds,” the warrant states. “The punches were to the face and body of the victim while the choke holds were placed under the victim’s arm and neck. The victim suffered multiple cuts, scratches and bruises to his forehead, top of his head, shoulders and lower back/rib area.”
The sheriff said the inmate was serving time for trafficking drugs. He was treated for minor injuries.
According to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, Brown was hired in February 2022 and graduated from a basic training course in June. The Cobb sheriff’s office job was Brown’s first in law enforcement in the state, POST records show.
