A Georgia officer was fired for choking ex-NFL player Desmond Marrow during an arrest in December.
Officials announced the decision on Thursday, May 10 after an investigation conducted by internal affairs concluded that officer David Rose’s use of force was unnecessary, CBS reported.
The in-car camera footage of the officer showed him saying he choked Marrow and that he purposely planned to leave the incident out of the report according to Henry County Police Chief Mark Amerman.
The County’s District Attorney’s Office told USA TODAY that the obstruction of a law enforcement officer charge was dismissed against Marrow and the judge dropped the other felony charge of terrorist threats. The misdemeanor charges which includes reckless and aggressive driving remains under review.
“We have reviewed the police reports, witness statements, 911 calls, audio and videos, as well as interviewed witnesses, and determined there is insufficient evidence to present any felony charges to a grand jury,” District Attorney Darius Pattillo said in a statement.
Marrow posted the video of the incident from his phone on social media and the video instantly went viral. The former player is heard yelling,”I can’t breathe.”
***ATTENTION*** to anyone who views this post , #Share #Like …PLEASE HELP ME GET MY VOICE HEARD!!! I Was Falsely Arrested & taken into custody in #Atlanta #Georgia #HenryCounty by the Henry County Police . I Only Had My Cell Phone in my possession & they claimed to be scared for their lives . I had No type of weapon in my possession , I was arrested for having a Gun that turned out to be my Cell Phone . During the arrest the police knocked my teeth out, slammed me on my head and choked me out until I was unconscious. In addition I suffered a shoulder strain and a concussion along with the heartache of my Wife leaving me during this Very Hard time for my short comings and careless actions. This has affected me mentally and impacted my life in a way I can’t even humanly describe . This isn’t a cry for sympathy, I just need it to be known . . . My cry is for JUSTICE.They threw me into isolation and labeled me a gang member because of my tattoos. I was fully cooperating with the officers with ZERO resistance. I thought I was going to die. I was sure I was passing out or dying when Officer #D.Rose was choking me as my breath kept slipping away. Henry county police dept was trying to keep me quiet, but once they found out I was a former #NFLplayer & there was a video of the incident did they then try to drop my charges. They were basically trying to get me to sell my soul in exchange for the video not being posted and they would drop all the felonies and clear my record. They said I was resisting arrest, being out of control, spitting and assaulting the Officers by head butting them. But GOD recorded it and I have PROOF! You know the truth take a lil longer to make it around lies travel faster 💯. They locked me up & gave me No bond which gave me NO voice YOU guys are my voice I NEED your help . I been sleepin on the floor I can’t get a job with these #Felonies I lost my gym all my clients & training kids is my passion that’s ALL I wana do I can’t pay my child support I would love to see my son I’d take any type of love Bruh it’s real right now 💔 #Repost #Share #Like #Repost @theshaderoom @troubleman31 @fox5ny @sharonlfox5 @drtiffanycrutcher @damariosolomonsimmons @real_sharpton #BlackLivesMatter
Posted by Desmond Marrow on Thursday, April 26, 2018
Henry County police admitted that the mobile phone video didn’t convey “the level of resistance by Mr. Marrow while officers were arresting him, and the struggle officers encountered while trying to get control of the situation while Mr. Marrow was fighting with those officers.”
The department claimed that the officers’ behavior was “within departmental policy.”
However, Rose, on the other hand, violated the department’s rules on maltreatment and unnecessary force, according to Henry County Police.
