District Attorney General Stephen Crump said he has initiated an investigation of a courtroom incident that occurred during Thursday’s docket of the Bradley County General Sessions Court.
He said, "Chief Deputy Brian Smith informed this office of an incident involving a corrections officer and an inmate late yesterday afternoon and stated that Sheriff Eric Watson was requesting that this office initiate an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Based upon the sequence of events as described by Chief Deputy Smith and Sheriff Watson, this office initiated an investigation by the TBI yesterday.
"The investigation centers on whether excessive or illegal force was used by a corrections officer on an inmate who was appearing in the General Sessions Courtroom.
"No further statements will be made by this office until the conclusion of the investigation. We expect to move expeditiously and conclude the investigation in the very near future."
The deputy has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.