Imagine sitting in your home and watching police take it over. The fear and shock of the moment would escalate even more when police enter the bedroom of your sleeping 19 month old. Soon you hear an explosion from the baby’s room. Later you discover a flash bang grenade was thrown into his crib and he now suffers from irreversible damage. This is the reality for one Georgia family during a 2014 house raid that went horribly wrong.
As a result of this raid, a former Habersham County, Georgia deputy must now face federal charges brought by the FBI. The incident occurred in May 2014. The magistrate issued a no knock search warrant after it was alleged that drugs has been purchased from a resident of the home. The charges stem from what the FBI believes to be knowingly false statements made by the deputy to obtain the warrant. But for these false statements, the child would not have been injured during the botched drug arrest.
The attorney for the accused deputy refutes the assertions made by the FBI. He says that the former deputy made no knowingly false statements. A grand jury declined to prosecute any of the other officers involved in the raid.
This case highlights the defects with the criminal justice system and reiterates the importance of qualified defense counsel. The life of an entire family has been negatively affected due the claims of another person. Whether facing a drug possession or distribution charge, you may wish to consider seeking legal counsel to protect your rights.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Charges filed in case of police grenade thrown in toddler’s crib,” Simon McCormack, July 23, 2015
