SANDERSVILLE, Ga. — The murder trial for three Washington County deputies accused of fatally tasing a man in 2017 is scheduled to begin Oct. 8, 2021, according to Middle Judicial Circuit DA Tripp Fitzner.
Four years ago, a grand jury indicted deputies Henry Lee Copeland, Michael Howell and Rhett Scott in the July 2017 death of Eurie Martin.
Two of the deputies tased Martin by the side of the road in Deepstep, Washington County.
Initially, the deputies reported that Martin was tased because he was fighting the officers, but witnesses sent video to 13WMAZ that showed that was not true.
Prosecutors say Martin committed no crime and wasn't bothering anyone.
Thomas Smith, who was Washington County sheriff at the time, fired the three deputies for various policy violations.
Two years ago, Judge H. Gibb Flanders threw out the murder charges, ruling that the three were protected by qualified immunity.
In 2020, the Georgia Supreme Court overruled him and said the case should go to trial.
Fitzner's predecessor, Heyward Altman, retired as district attorney last year. But Altman will return to court this fall to prosecute the case, Fitzner says.
"He asked to return to handle the case, and of course, I agreed," Fitzner said. "The community will be very well-served because Mr. Altman is an excellent trial attorney."
The trial will happen at Washington County Superior Court in Sandersville. Pre-trial arguments in the case are scheduled for late August.
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