A Georgia deputy repeatedly punched a passenger during a traffic stop while the man’s infant daughter watched from the back seat, records and video show.
The passenger, Roderick Walker, 26, was riding in Clayton County when the vehicle was pulled over, according to authorities.
On the night of September 11, 2020, an unmarked patrol car stopped the vehicle over an alleged broken taillight, records show.
Walker was sitting in the back seat alongside his girlfriend, his 5-month-old daughter, and his stepson. He was not driving, records show.
A deputy approached and asked Walker for identification anyway, according to reports.
Walker questioned why he needed to produce identification since he was not behind the wheel. That is when deputies pulled him from the car, records show.
Video that surfaced online captured the roadside encounter, records show.
The footage shows one of two deputies repeatedly punching Walker in the face and midsection while the 26-year-old was pinned to the ground, video shows.
Walker’s nose started bleeding before deputies finally turned him over to be handcuffed, the video shows.
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A child inside the back seat can be heard yelling “Daddy” during the struggle, video shows.
Walker’s girlfriend was also heard telling deputies that the pinned passenger could not breathe, according to the video.
Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill fired the deputy, later identified as Brandon Myers, within days of the arrest. Hill cited “excessive use of force” for the termination, the sheriff said.
Walker remained in jail following the incident, authorities said.
The continued lockup was not tied to anything from that night. Instead, the sheriff cited a separate felony probation warrant out of Fulton County and a failure-to-appear warrant from Hapeville, the sheriff said.
“Roderick Walker is in jail solely because he was illegally arrested after being assaulted by Clayton County Sheriff deputies, not because of anything he did during that incident or in the past,” his attorney, Shean Williams, said.
Myers was eventually indicted on charges of battery and violation of oath by a public officer, court records show.
The former deputy pleaded guilty to the oath violation, while the battery charge was merged in under the plea agreement, court records show.
A judge sentenced Myers under Georgia’s First Offender Act to five years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine. He received no jail time, court records show.
A grand jury declined to charge Walker with battery or obstruction over the altercation. His only charge tied to the traffic stop was a seatbelt violation, records show.
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