CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn — The 8th District Attorney General's Office announced it is dropping charges against a Campbell County officer formerly accused of assaulting a detainee in 2019.
According to Assistant District Attorney General Ron Laffitte, prosecutors are declining to prosecute and are dropping the case against Dakota Williams.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation took on the case in 2019, and a grand jury indicted Williams of its "own volition," and not at the recommendation of the DA's office.
The incident happened on June 2, 2019. The TBI said its investigation led to the indictment of the three deputies: Williams, Justin Crabtree, and Sean Brown.
According to the TBI, Crabtree assaulted a detainee as they were being booked into the jail. The two other officers were reportedly present during the incident.
According to the DA's office, the state presented the case to the grand jury on December 18, 2019, which saw Crabtree indicted on one count of aggravated assault and one count of official oppression as part of the "true bill."
Williams and Brown were charged with one count of official misconduct, one count of official oppression, and one count of assault by way of presentment.
The DA's office said Crabtree pleaded guilty to his charges on December 16, 2020, and on April 27, 2021, he was sentenced to 91 days in jail followed by four years of probation through the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
In Crabtree's case, Laffitte said they sought key evidence from Cesar Garcia, the Director of Campus Safety Operations and Chief of Police at East Tennessee State University, saying Garcia worked in law enforcement for more than 29 years and led instruction use of force and defense tactics at the East Tennessee Regional Law Enforcement Training Facility.
The state consulted with Garcia again for Williams' case. After reviewing evidence and video of the incident, Garcia concluded Williams' use of force was "reasonable and not unlawful."
The DA's office said Williams had assisted in restraining the victim's legs while they were on the ground struggling with officers. Laffitte said the video showed Williams used a peroneal strike on the side of their leg once to temporarily disable motor control, which he said is a proper technique if used once or twice.
"The evidence, in this case, supports the finding by Chief Garcia that Mr. Williams' use of force was lawful given the circumstances," Laffitte said. "Nothing suggests that Mr. Williams' conduct was an unauthorized exercise of official power or unlawful mistreatment."