Newnan Officer Fired In 'Use Of Force' Case
A Newnan, GA. police officer is asking for reconsideration after he was fired for alleged use of force violations while making an arrest.
The police report indicates Officer James Robson arrested Newnan resident Sherman Daniel on June 14, 2020, charging him with fleeing from police, driving with a suspended license and interfering with police when they attempted to stop him for having a brake light out at Martin Luther King Drive and Dodson Street.
According to the report, Daniel did not stop after Robson signaled for him to do so by activating his blue lights and siren. It indicates Robson continued driving for more than a half mile until he pulled into a parking spot at the back of the Eastgate Apartments.
Body cam footage from the Newnan Police Department shows an angry crowd shouting at the two officers at the scene. It also shows an officer directing a young girl out and away from the car. The officer then commands Daniel to step out of the vehicle and to put his hands in the air. The video then shows Robson as he approaches and handcuffs Daniel, then Daniel asking him why he was handling him so roughly, following Robson saying it was because he didn't stop.
You can also hear Daniel explaining he didn't stop because his daughter was in the car and he was trying to get her inside. He also indicated he knew he would be arrested because he didn't have a license.
At the patrol vehicle, Robson yells for Daniel to get it, before Daniel accuses the officer of pushing him and being rough once again.
The police report indicates Robson said he drew his gun because he didn't know why Daniel failed to stop.
An Employee Disciplinary Report indicates Officer James Robson was terminated on June 18, 2020 for violating several department policies, which include:
Use of Force: Handling Daniels after he was handcuffed in a manner that goes beyond what was necessary, reasonable or needed
Not properly securing Daniels in a safety restraining device in the patrol vehicle
Insubordination
In his grievance letter, Robson disputed the violations, saying he used reasonable force, citing laws he said supported his rebuttals under the alleged circumstances and indicating he considered the termination as extreme.
Robson also implied his termination could be related to the Black Lives Matter movement and recent protests drawing attention to police brutality against Black people, but he denies any excessive force was used during Daniel's arrest.
Newnan police have not yet confirmed whether they are considering Robson's appeal.
Records show Robson had a prior disciplinary report on file from 2018. It indicated he received a verbal warning after leaving a DUI suspect's wallet on top of a car before driving away from the scene. The records indicate the wallet was never recovered, and the department issued a check to the suspect in the amount of $1,500.00 for cash and other items that were reportedly lost.
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