Three former Georgia sheriff’s deputies were found not guilty of murder late Thursday in the 2017 death of Eurie Martin, a 58-year-old Black man who died after being repeatedly shocked with tasers during an encounter in rural Washington County.
According to The Associated Press, the verdicts came after eight years of legal proceedings and two trials. A previous trial in 2021 ended in a mistrial when jurors deadlocked on all counts.
This time, jurors acquitted Henry Lee Copeland, Michael Howell, and Rhett Scott of murder and aggravated assault. Scott was cleared on all charges.
However, the jury was unable to decide on involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct charges for Copeland and Howell, leaving open the possibility of another trial.
“We’re elated,” said Karen Scott, the mother of Rhett Scott. “Sorry for the Martin family, but we are just elated.”
Martin’s family expressed grief and frustration. “After eight long years, I’m just very disappointed,” said his sister, Helen Gilbert.
The case stems from a July 2017 encounter in Deepstep, Georgia, where Martin was walking in 95-degree heat on a 30-mile trip to visit relatives for his birthday.
Testimony showed he was dealing with dehydration, heat stress, and a preexisting heart condition. His family also said he had been treated for schizoaffective disorder.
Authorities were called after homeowner Cyrus Harris Jr. spotted Martin in his yard.
“He was a Black man, big guy,” Harris testified. “He was a rough-looking character. He looked like he hadn’t had a bath in several days.”
Harris said Martin asked him for water while holding half a soda can. “And I wasn’t going to go for that,” he said, explaining why he called 911.
When deputies arrived, they said Martin refused to stop walking, dropped the can, and took an aggressive stance.
Dash-camera and cellphone footage showed deputies surrounding Martin and firing Tasers multiple times as he tried to walk away. Investigators later determined deputies pulled the triggers at least 15 times, delivering about a minute and a half of electrical current.
A Georgia Bureau of Investigation medical examiner ruled Martin’s death a homicide. The sheriff fired all three deputies shortly afterward.
Defense attorneys argued the deputies acted lawfully. “This case is not ‘poor Mr. Eurie Martin getting tased because he wanted water,’” attorney Shawn Merzlak told jurors. “Police officers have a right to detain somebody if they suspect they have committed a crime.”
Prosecutor George Lipscomb urged jurors to reject that argument. “They want this to be the standard for your community: People killed for littering?” he said. “People killed by walking in the street? Is that Washington County? Is this who you are?”
The local district attorney recused himself during the second trial, and the prosecution was handled by Columbus-area District Attorney Don Kelley.
Pete Skandalakis, head of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council, said Kelley will decide whether to pursue a third trial for Copeland and Howell.
Meanwhile, civil rights attorney Francys Johnson said the Martin family’s federal civil suit will continue. “As a free man in this country, he should have been able to walk home,” Johnson said.
