ATLANTA — A family is speaking out for the first time after a man died when deputies shocked him with a stun gun.
Three former deputies are in jail, charged with murder.
Eurie Martin was on his way to his sister’s house in Washington County in July.
Three deputies answered a suspicious person call after Martin asked a neighbor for water.
“Why was my uncle treated so horribly? Why did he have to die just because he wanted a drink of water?” said Martin’s niece, Elaine Brown.
“What do we have to do to stop the criminalization of people who are just walking down the street? Like, what makes him a suspect?” the family’s attorney, Mawuli Davis said.
A GBI investigation completed in October found no justification for the use of force shown that day and the deputies lost their jobs. The Washington County sheriff citied a violation of standard operating procedures.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Man accused of killing of teen brother
- Grandmother followed home from ATM, attacked and robbed
- Tornado confirmed during Wednesday's storms
The men turned themselves in on Wednesday, just one day after a grand jury handed down a seven-count indictment -- including murder, assault and false imprisonment charges on each of them.
“That says something about the severity and the overwhelming nature of the evidence,” Davis said.
“I don’t want the officers to be treated any differently than any other individuals who have murdered a person,” Brown said.
Davis noted how unusual it is to see this type of indictment against law enforcement officers and he expects the evidence that will come out of the trial to draw national attention.
The former deputies won’t have a bond hearing until after the holidays, and a trial may begin as early as March.