The Coweta County sheriff deputies accused of repeatedly using Tasers on a man who died during a struggle will not face criminal charges, the District Attorney said Monday.
“The death of Chase Sherman, while tragic in nature, is not a criminal matter and, therefore, will not be prosecuted further under state law,” DA Peter Skandalakis said in an emailed statement.
Sherman, 32, died Nov. 20, 2015, after an altercation with deputies along I-85 in Newnan. The Sherman family and Chase's fiancée were driving home to Florida from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport when Mary Ann Sherman called 911 asking for help because her son was having a "nervous breakdown" and was trying to leap from the car.
When deputies arrived, Sherman was combative and refused to get out of the car, investigators later said. An EMT also placed his knee on Sherman’s back in an attempt to subdue him.
An autopsy determined Sherman died from a combination of factors, including the use of Tasers, the weight of the EMT and the physical altercation, which all restricted his ability to breathe.
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