GBI arrests Columbus police officer accused of punching handcuffed suspect
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Columbus police officer who allegedly punched a handcuffed suspect in 2019, prompting calls for more police oversight here.
The agency on Friday arrested 35-year-old Clayton Watkins on charges of battery and violating his oath of office after investigating allegations he used excessive force while confronting a pedestrian blocking a city street.
The Columbus Police Department requested the GBI probe on June 4, though Watkins already had been suspended for six days without pay for violating policy.
Facebook video recordings depicting Watkins’ treatment of the suspect prompted Columbus Councilor Jerry “Pops” Barnes to sponsor a city ordinance boosting the power of the city’s Public Safety Advisory Commission, though that proposal has been delayed for further study.
The suspect Watkins confronted on Wade Street on Oct. 18, 2019, was Donnell Russell, 43, the GBI said in a news release.
The agency said Watkins and an officer in training questioned Russell and another man who were in the middle of the road, violating a city ordinance against blocking traffic. When Watkins handcuffed Russell, the officer repeatedly ordered Russell to unclasp his left hand, as the suspect appeared to be clutching something, the GBI said.
“Body camera footage shows Watkins subsequently hitting Russell multiple times in his side, pointing a Taser at him, throwing him to the ground and hitting him again,” the GBI said. “It was determined that Russell was concealing a small amount of suspected marijuana in his hand.”
Watkins charged Russell with obstructing an officer and violating the city ordinance.
The GBI said its file on the investigation now will be submitted to District Attorney Julia Slater’s office for possible prosecution. Slater said Friday that she has not yet received it, but expects to handle it like any other case, either reviewing it herself or having an assistant district attorney examine it before deciding whether it should go to a grand jury for indictment.
Watkins’ battery charge is a misdemeanor, but the violation of oath is a felony, she said.
Councilor Barnes was not immediately available for comment. His proposal to strengthen the power of the city’s police advisory board prompted hours of debate during two council meetings, one on July 28 and another on Aug. 11. Councilors at the Aug. 11 session decided to appoint a special commission to further study the issue.
This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 5:08 PM.