Law enforcement experts testify in stun-gun death trial

SANDERSVILLE, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - On Monday, the third day of the murder trial for three former Washington County deputies, prosecutors played the 911 calls from the day Eurie Martin died back in 2017.

Rhett Scott, Michael Howell and Henry Copeland responded to a “suspicious person call,” which led to an interaction leaving Martin dead on the scene after he was shocked multiple times with stun guns.

Up until this point, only the state had been presented witnesses in the trial. The state continued Monday by bringing in experts on stun guns and use of force. They included a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent who trained the three deputies just months before they stopped Martin.

It started with a 911 call.

Caller: “I got a guy walking off the side of the road here, just walked in my yard. I don’t know where he was crazy, drunk or what. He’s walking back towards Deepstep.”

It ended with 58-year-old Martin dead.

In addition to presenting the evidence in the case, the state presented several expert witnesses, including GBI stun gun instructor Ryan Carmichael.

“What it’s telling you is just what the weapon did. When the trigger was pulled and how long it cycled for when the trigger was pulled,” said Carmichael.

Carmichael analyzed data pulled from the stun guns of Scott and Copeland. He explained that after five seconds, a stun gun recycles, basically cutting itself off; however, if a deputy holds down the trigger, it keeps releasing volts. Data shows Scott and Copeland’s stun guns cycled 15 different times within about four minutes. The longest length of voltage was 19 seconds from Scott and 13 from Copeland.

The state also brought a use-of-force expert who says de-escalation by officers would have helped this situation.

“I don’t think there was a crime, enough to stop him for reasonable suspicion,” said the expert, John Burden.

“Was Eurie Martin constitutionally entitled to keep walking in your opinion?” said Weathers.

“Yes,” said Burden.

The defense attorneys are expected to begin presenting their witnesses by the middle of this week. The trial is expected to wrap up by Friday.