Originally published on June 13, 2015, at NationofChange.org
Three sheriff’s deputies were convicted this week of obstructing justice by covering up an incident in which a fellow officer repeatedly beat a restrained suspect in the eye with a metal flashlight. Due to the fact that the officer is also the son of a local sheriff, the deputies filed false police reports to conceal his actions and were caught lying to FBI agents. Although three deputies have been convicted of participating in the cover-up, the same federal jury in Georgia acquitted the sheriff’s son of excessive force.
On the evening of September 15, 2012, Aaron Parrish was visiting the annual motorcycle rally at the Bainbridge BikeFest with his family when his stepfather got into a minor altercation with local police. As Parrish approached the deputies, he was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. Deputies placed Parrish in a chokehold as Grady County Deputy Wiley Griffin, IV—who is the son of Decatur County Sheriff Wiley Griffin, III—struck Parrish in the face multiple times with a metal flashlight.
andrewemett 