Home / Crime and Justice / Ex-Jailer Admits Unjustified Taser Assault
Ex-Jailer Admits Unjustified Taser Assault
11 Dec
Summary
- Former jailer used Taser on inmate at least six times without justification.
- Bodycam footage captured the deputy slamming inmate's head into a wall.
- Jailer was previously fired by DeKalb County police before this hiring.
A former Clayton County jailer, Jabin Bethea, has entered a guilty plea in federal court for using excessive force against a detainee. Bethea admitted to using a Taser on an inmate at least six times without any justification during an incident in May 2024.
Prosecutors detailed that Bethea slammed the detainee's head into a wall and repeatedly used his Taser, even as the inmate complied with orders on the floor. Bodycam and surveillance footage corroborated these actions, showing another deputy's attempt to intervene was dismissed by Bethea.
Adding to the case, records show Bethea was previously terminated by the DeKalb County police department months before being hired by Clayton County. The sheriff cited manpower shortages and a limited applicant pool as factors in hiring decisions, acknowledging such chances are sometimes taken on officers with past issues. Bethea's sentencing is set for March 10, 2026.
