Man stunned during Marjorie Taylor Greene's town hall is a Marine veteran, attorney says

Tackled, tased and cursing: Protesters vs. MTG

FOX 5 Atlanta cameras captured at least 10 disruptions during Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's town hall in Acworth Tuesday night. Some protesters were captured screaming and cursing at the congresswoman before being kicked out of the event. At least two of them were tackled, tased and arrested. At least one was cited for use of vulgar language.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - The attorney for a Dallas man arrested during a protest of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's town hall meeting is demanding Cobb County prosecutors dismiss his charges.

Johnny Keith Williams' attorney claims his client was not treated for his injuries after he was shot with a Taser during the meeting earlier this week.

The backstory:

Security was tight at Tuesday’s event. Only pre-registered attendees who live in Greene’s district were allowed to enter. IDs were checked against a sign-up list, and the event location was kept private until registration was confirmed. 

Law enforcement agencies told FOX 5 that they had made preparations for potential disruptions in advance after crime analysts flagged online posts.

Three people were arrested, and six others were escorted out of the building after the town hall started. Officials say the arrests happened after officers reported being threatened. The officers reported experiencing physical resistance and harm while attempting to remove them.

"As soon as the Congresswoman began her presentation, several members of the audience became disruptive and created an imminent public safety threat for all in attendance," the Acworth Police Department said in a statement. "Their intentions were clear — to place the members of our beloved police department in a no-win situation in front of numerous media outlets."

Greene repeatedly said "Bye" to people being escorted from the room and praised officers’ response, saying the appropriate place for those ejected was with more than 100 protesters lining a street outside the community center.

"This is a town hall; this is not a political rally; this is not a protest," Greene said.

The arrested members of the crowd were identified as Williams, 40-year-old Andrew Russell Nelms of Atlanta, and 28-year-old Dallas resident Kiyana Name Davis.

What they're saying:

Attorney Carolos Rodriguez, who represents Williams, claims that his client was not involved in any protests during the meeting and was "unlawfully arrested."

"He is an independent voter and, contrary to Congresswoman Greene’s statements, was not compensated for attending the town hall or affiliated in any way with the Democratic Party," Rodriguez said. "Instead, he was invited by the congresswoman’s staff to attend and register for the event."

Johnny Keith Williams (Cobb County Sheriff's Office)

The attorney said that his client, who was honorably discharged from the Marines, came to the meeting to learn how Greene was working toward improving access to health care for veterans.

After he was shot by a Taser and arrested, Rodriguez claims that Williams was not treated at a hospital for his injuries and remained in custody without bond for more than 36 hours.   

"Mr. Williams was an undeserving victim of such violence, unlawful use of force, physical injuries, and reputational harm. We are committed to stopping any further injustices and harm done to Mr. Williams perpetrated by the government," the lawyer said.

The other side:

Sgt. Eric Mistretta said officers responded with appropriate force to people who yelled at Greene and resisted removal, although none approached her. 

Police said in a statement that the people "created an imminent public safety threat for all in attendance."

What's next:

Greene, the chair of the House Oversight Committee's subcommittee on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), decided to move forward with the town hall despite guidance from House Republican leaders, who earlier this year urged members to avoid in-person events amid coordinated progressive protests. 

"This has been on my calendar for a long time… I love to do them," Greene said.

An ally of President Donald Trump, Greene has said she’s considering running for U.S. Senate or for Georgia governor in 2026, but has yet to make any public moves toward what would be a bruising race in the politically competitive state.