3 DeKalb deputies suspended, 1 faces demotion after video of arrest

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Three DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies have been suspended and one may be demoted, if he doesn’t retired as previously planned, after an investigation into their conduct while executing an arrest warrant at an Ellenwood home.

DeKalb County Sheriff Thomas Brown released a statement about the decision Monday morning.

Channel 2 Action News obtained the 911 recording from July 26, when deputies entered the home of Natania Griffin, who was arrested for failure to pay a $1,000 fee.

Deputies arrived at Griffin's house with an arrest warrant at 1:13 a.m. She didn't open the door for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, deputies radioed headquarters.

Video of the incident is on YouTube. Griffin's sons used their phones to record what happened.

About five minutes into edited footage a woman yells, "I haven't done anything wrong."

Next, deputies are seen coming into the home and several people shout, "We are not doing anything wrong."

Some called the language the deputies used on the video offensive.

"The language that was used was unprofessional and I suspect there will be some disciplinary action," said Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jeffery Mann.

Griffin said she and her sons were not crawling on the floor and did not throw anything from room to room. She added the police may have seen her ask her son to grab a shirt out of her bedroom because she did not want to answer the door in her nightgown.

"Fifteen days overdue -- why would you come to my house with this unbelievable show of force?" said Griffin.

In the statement released about his decision Monday, Brown said, "These actions are based on the deputies' unprofessional comments and language during the incident."

Brown said the names of the employees are being withheld until they are served with their disciplinary actions.

WSBTV