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911 tape released of aggressive DeKalb Co. arrest

By Erica Byfield
By Erica Byfield
Channel 2 Action News obtained the 911 recording from the night DeKalb County sheriff's deputies entered the home of Natania Griffin, the DeKalb County woman arrested  for failure to pay a $1,000 fee.
The 911 call was made from an Ellenwood house on July 26 at about 1:30 in the morning.
"They are outside my house," said the caller.
"And you're not opening the door?" asked the 911 operator.
"They are banging on the door screaming, saying that they are going to kick my door down," said the caller.
"OK, you need to open the door, that is officers out there," said the 911 operator.
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 son's used their phones to record what happened.
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office has launched an internal investigation into seven deputies and one sergeant who were at the scene.
About five minutes into edited footage a woman yells, "I haven't done anything wrong.
Next, deputies are seen coming in 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.
One said, "Be advised that was a female crawling she came and peaked out the window," and another, "we see them throwing objects from room to room."
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 and grab a shirt out of her bedroom because she did not want to answer the door in her nightgown.
"Fifteen day overdue why would you come to my house with this unbelievable show of force?" said Griffin.

WSBTV

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