Former Clayton County jailer admits to repeatedly tasing compliant detainee

ATLANTA - A former Clayton County jailer has admitted to repeatedly using a Taser on a detainee. 

He pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge in a case now headed for sentencing early next year.

What we know:

Justin Bethea, 29, of Chamblee, told prosecutors he used that stun gun on a pretrial detainee at least six times during a 2024 transfer inside the Clayton County Jail.

Video from surveillance and body-worn cameras showed the detainee was lying on the floor and following orders when the incident occurred, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The backstory:

According to information presented in court, the confrontation began on May 16, 2024, when Bethea was moving two detainees between housing units at the Jonesboro facility. When one detainee asked, "Where am I going," Bethea handcuffed him and told him to shut up. Prosecutors said the two argued until Bethea removed the handcuffs and challenged the detainee "to buck."

After the detainee cursed and insulted him, Bethea slammed the man’s head into a wall, threw him to the floor and ordered him to put his hands behind his back. Even as the detainee complied, prosecutors said Bethea used the Taser on him multiple times, causing bodily injury.

What they're saying:

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said most corrections officers work under difficult conditions but added that "wanton abuse cannot be tolerated." He said, "This former officer must be held accountable for using excessive force against a detainee who was complying with his orders and was not acting violently."

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said the agency will continue to investigate unlawful force inside detention facilities. "Correctional officers are entrusted with authority, and with that authority comes the responsibility to treat every detainee with basic dignity and respect. This officer chose to abuse that trust and violate the civil rights of someone in his custody," Brown said.

What's next:

Sentencing is set for March 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson. The court will consider the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.