The alleged beating of Travarrius Williams was so sensational it prompted a press conference from DeKalb County’s then-police chief just hours after the incident in November 2011.
DeKalb officers Blake Norwood and Arthur Parker III are accused of removing Williams, then 18, from the patrol car of another officer tasked with taking him to jail on burglary charges.
The officers then drove a handcuffed Williams to a hidden spot behind the police precinct and beat him so badly that he suffered internal injuries and a broken tooth, according to criminal indictments filed last year.
The investigation from DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James concluded the two men were directed by Sgt. Anthony Remone Robinson in that attack and the beatings of three other handcuffed teens, all juveniles.
The three now face 15 criminal counts, including aggravated assault, racketeering, violating the oath as officers and making false statements.
That case is pending, as is a burglary case against Williams, who denies any wrongdoing.
Williams continues to live in DeKalb with his family but said he remains wary of police. He also was troubled by anonymous comments on a privately run website, where some applauded his beating because he was in custody.
“Nobody said nothing bad about them,” Williams said of initial response to the first officers’ arrests. “But I believe there are more than those in got in trouble. They’ve been doing it for more than a minute. Then, I see on the news, other people getting beat in handcuffs, and I feel sorry for them.”
About the Author
