A former correctional officer at the Clayton County Jail, Justin Bethea, has admitted to using excessive force against a pretrial detainee. Bethea pleaded guilty to depriving the detainee of his civil rights after tasing him multiple times without justification.
“Corrections officers work long hours in challenging circumstances to maintain order in our district’s jails and prisons, but wanton abuse cannot be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “This former officer must be held accountable for using excessive force against a detainee who was complying with his orders and was not acting violently.”
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, stated, “Correctional officers are entrusted with authority, and with that authority comes the responsibility to treat every detainee with basic dignity and respect. This officer chose to abuse that trust and violate the civil rights of someone in his custody. The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who uses unlawful force inside our jails and prisons.”
Court documents indicate that on May 16, 2024, while working at the jail in Jonesboro, Georgia, Bethea was transferring two detainees between housing units when one asked about his destination. After telling the detainee to "shut up" and handcuffing him, Bethea removed the handcuffs after an argument and challenged the detainee "to buck." Following verbal insults from the detainee, Bethea physically assaulted him by slamming his head into a wall and throwing him onto the floor before ordering him to put his hands behind his back.
Surveillance footage showed that even though the detainee remained compliant on the floor, Bethea tased him at least six times. The incident resulted in bodily injury for the detainee.
Bethea is scheduled for sentencing on March 10, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson. The court will consider federal sentencing guidelines when determining his sentence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret R. Hobson and Brent Alan Gray are prosecuting.
For more information about this case or related matters from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.