Former Fulton County Deputy Sheriff Khadijah Solomon faced arraignment on charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice after allegedly using unreasonable force on detainees. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Solomon, 47, of Fairburn, Georgia, is accused of unlawfully tasering three male detainees and then lying about it in her reports.
"Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct," stated U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, as noted by the same press release. The policy at Fulton County Sheriff’s Office prohibits the use of a taser as cruel punishment and demands that force be objectively reasonable. Solomon purportedly disobeyed these guidelines, deploying her Taser against compliant and non-threatening individuals – an act caught by her body worn camera.
Last Tuesday, June 10, a federal grand jury indicted Solomon, and she appeared before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard for arraignment. The indictment arose after investigations by the FBI, revealing that one of her alleged victims was handcuffed at the time of the tasing. “When a law enforcement officer betrays the badge by using unlawful force and attempting to cover it up, it not only harms the victim—it undermines the integrity of our entire justice system. We will continue to work with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who abuse their authority,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brent Alan Gray and Bret R. Hobson, alongside Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark, are appointed to prosecute this case. Notably, Solomon is presumed innocent until proven guilty, a cornerstone principle of the American justice that U.S. Attorney Hertzberg's office reiterates.
Further information regarding the case can be sought through the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office or the official website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
