A Bibb County sheriff’s deputy is out of a job and facing a criminal charge after an internal investigation found she struck a man in the face while arresting him on April 3 in Macon.
The deputy, identified as Meshaun Gibson, was working in the Patrol Division when she responded to a call on the 3600 block of Riverside Drive, according to The Georgia Sun. During that encounter, investigators say, she hit a man who was not resisting as she tried to place him under arrest.
Once the incident was reviewed internally, Chief Deputy Chris Patterson moved to fire Gibson from the department. That same night, she surrendered at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center and was later released on bond, The Georgia Sun reported.
Legal context
Prosecutors have charged Gibson with simple battery under Georgia law. The statute defines simple battery as intentionally making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature, or intentionally causing physical harm to another person. It is typically treated as a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23 and can carry fines, jail time, or both, depending on the details of the case and a person’s record. The statutory language and penalty range are laid out in Georgia Code.
Department history
The firing and arrest are unfolding against a backdrop of earlier use-of-force controversies inside the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office. In 2015, the agency arrested and terminated a deputy after video surfaced showing him kicking a handcuffed man, an incident that went through internal investigation and a criminal referral. Coverage at the time detailed the timeline and the sheriff’s office response, as reported by 41NBC.
What’s next
The sheriff’s office has already completed its internal inquiry and removed Gibson from the force. From here, it is up to local prosecutors to decide how the simple battery case moves through the courts. Court dates were not immediately available, and The Georgia Sun reported that Gibson was released on bond after turning herself in.
The case will now follow the usual criminal process. Any further administrative or policy steps will be handled by the sheriff’s office as the legal side plays out.
Legal implications
If Gibson is convicted of misdemeanor simple battery, state law allows for penalties that can include up to a year in jail, fines, or both, depending on circumstances such as aggravating factors or prior offenses. Those details are spelled out in O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23, available via Georgia Code. Regardless of how the court case ends, the department has already imposed its own discipline by firing Gibson, and the question of criminal guilt or innocence now lies with the justice system.
