{"id":24834,"date":"2016-06-29T11:29:49","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T18:29:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=24834"},"modified":"2016-06-29T12:18:27","modified_gmt":"2016-06-29T19:18:27","slug":"georgia-sheriff-pleads-guilty-kicking-punching-handcuffed-suspect-woods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=24834","title":{"rendered":"Feds: Georgia Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Kicking and Punching Two Suspects in Separate Incidents"},"content":{"rendered":"

GEORGIA<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Berrien County, Georgia, Sheriff Anthony Heath admitted beating and kicking two suspects who weren’t resisting arrest, according to officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sheriff
Sheriff Anthony Heath (Photo: WFXLFox31)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Heath plead guilty to\u00a0two counts of violating the civil rights of two non-resistant arrestees by using excessive force against them, prosecutors said.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sentencing date has not yet been set.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs sheriff, Heath held the highest-ranking law enforcement position in Berrien County, but he violated the public trust when he chose to break the law and beat compliant arrestees,\u201d said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta.\u00a0 \u201cOur Constitution prohibits officers from using excessive and unnecessary force against non-resistant arrestees, and the Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute cases where law enforcement officers abuse their authority.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Heath\u2019s guilty plea, on Jan. 12, 2012, Heath and deputies from the Berrien County Sheriff\u2019s Office were engaged in a foot chase of an individual identified only as M.V. by authorities, who had been banned from traveling through the county.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

During the chase, Heath saw M.V. and called out to him, \u201cYou better not run or I will beat your a**,\u201d or words to that effect.\u00a0 M.V. responded by running into a nearby wooded area.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"FBIHeath and multiple Sheriff’s deputies followed M.V. into the woods, where a deputy eventually saw M.V. and arrested him without incident.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When a deputy reported that M.V. was in custody, Heath ordered deputies to wait and hold M.V. in the woods.\u00a0 When Heath arrived, M.V. was lying face-down on the ground, with his hands handcuffed behind his back and was not resisting arrest.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Heath kicked M.V. in the ribs, punched him in the head with a closed fist multiple times and forcefully kneed him in the ribs multiple times, causing M.V. to experience pain and have difficulty breathing.<\/span><\/p>\n

During a separate incident, on Oct. 1, 2014, Heath repeatedly punched and kicked an arrestee, identified only as J.H., even though J.H. surrendered, lay down on the ground and did not attempt to flee or threaten anyone at any point after his arrest.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Heath punched J.H. with sufficient force to cause his own hand to become swollen and bruised.\u00a0 Heath\u2019s punches caused J.H. to bleed from his mouth and to feel pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe people place tremendous power in the hands of someone they elect as county sheriff, and do so in faith that such power will be wielded appropriately,\u201d said Acting U.S. Attorney G.F. Peterman of Georgia.\u00a0 \u201cThe motto of our Sheriff\u2019s in Georgia has traditionally been \u2018To Serve and To Protect.\u2019\u00a0 Sheriff Heath abused that power and broke faith with those who elected him by physically abusing those he was sworn to protect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The case is being investigated by the FBI. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read: \u00a0Heath Plea Agreement<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Berrien County, Georgia, Sheriff Anthony Heath admitted beating and kicking a handcuffed suspect on the ground while he was in the woods, according to officials.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,16,3],"tags":[1017,2803,2802],"class_list":["post-24834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fbi","category-home-main-slider","category-u-s-department-of-justice","tag-excessive-force","tag-handcuffed-suspect","tag-sheriff"],"yoast_head":"\nFeds: Georgia Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Kicking and Punching Two Suspects in Separate Incidents<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Berrien County, Georgia, Sheriff Anthony Heath admitted beating and kicking a handcuffed suspect on the ground while he was in the woods, according to officials.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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