Two Richmond County investigators have been fired and arrested after the discovery of a 2022 excessive force incident in the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
Johnny Atkinson, 45, was charged Friday with aggravated assault, battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Austin Birch, 27, was charged with battery and violation of oath of a public officer. Both have been booked into the jail and later terminated, the release said.
On Thursday, Richmond County internal affairs officers were first made aware of a May 2022 incident between deputies and inmates.
“After the review of body camera and surveillance videos, it was determined that the amount of force used in response to the call was unnecessary,” a press release said.
Atkinson began his RCSO employment in 2018 while Birch began in 2019. They were most recently assigned to the criminal investigations division. At the time of the 2022 incident, they were assigned to the road patrol division.
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