ATLANTA — Charges have been dropped against a mother who was seen on video being slammed to the ground and shocked with a stun gun by police in front of her child.
Channel 2 Action News has learned the officer seen in the video has been fired.
The arrest happened at an apartment complex in Atlanta earlier this month.
In the video, an Atlanta Police Department officer can be seen punching Maggie Thomas and using a Taser three times. The Police Department said Thomas bit the officer but the charges were dropped after a review.
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By the time backup arrived, the officer had punched Thomas in her left eye.
The Atlanta Police Department sent Channel 2's Matt Johnson a statement that says:
"Based on the investigation by our Office of Professional Standards, allthe chief recommended that consideration be given to dismissing the charge against Ms. Thomas."
Documents Johnson obtained show the city solicitor dismissed the charges against Thomas on Monday.
She said she can't celebrate the dropped charges because of how the arrest affected her daughter Marlee.
"I couldn't console her and comfort her at the time. That's the worst part of it," she said.
The incident started when the officer in the video was patrolling and drove behind Thomas's apartment at around 8 p.m. on May 1.
A witness started recording after the officer told Thomas she was under arrest for having an outstanding traffic warrant.
Thomas denies she ever bit the officer.
"For him to say I bit him, it just made me feel like he was justifying why did he physically punch me like that," she said.
Thomas's attorney, Gerald Griggs, says he hopes this case becomes a turning point.
"I believe the higher level of Atlanta police are ready for change; we just have to make sure the rank and file understand that there will be accountability," he said.
After our story aired Monday, Johnson learned the chief dismissed Hines from his employment. A spokesperson for the department said following its investigation, the Office of Professional Standards determined that the force used during the arrest was unnecessary and inconsistent with Atlanta Police Department training.
Cox Media Group
