News
News

WATCH: Video allegedly shows jailer use Taser on inmate strapped to chair

The video is from inside the Polk County Jail
By
May 30, 2018

Surveillance video obtained by Channel 2 Action News allegedly shows a Polk County jailer using a Taser on an inmate who was strapped to a chair.

The inmate, Brandon Coffman, allegedly received burn scars from the incident, which took place in July 2016, Channel 2 reported.

Once the Polk County sheriff saw the video later that year, he fired supervisor Harry Dallas Battle, the man allegedly seen using a Taser on Coffman, and asked the GBI to investigate, Channel 2 reported.

The GBI charged Battle with two felonies, which a grand jury declined to indict, the news station reported.

Coffman has filed a civil suit against Battle, Channel 2 reported.

“Torture. This is absolutely torture,” Coffman’s attorney Harry Daniels told the news station. “There’s no way around it. It’s torture.”

Jack Browning, the District Attorney for Polk County, told Channel 2 he plans to re-present the criminal case to another grand jury in July.

Battle would not comment on the situation, the news station said.

In other news:

In an exclusive interview, Cobb County police Chief Mike Register told Channel 2’s Chris Jose that the injured officer is Chris Tompkins.

About the Author

Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.

Follow Zachary Hansen on facebookFollow Zachary Hansen on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Scottie Scheffler lines up putt on second green during first round of the Masters golf tournament, at Augusta National Golf Club, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/ Hyosub.Shin@ajc.com

Live updates from the Masters: First round underway

Georgia WWII veteran, 100 years old, to receive French Legion of Honor

The French government is preparing to present Alan Kinder, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, with the Legion of Honor, the European country’s highest decoration.

Orange Crush has a bad rap. Here’s how two promoters plan to change it.

HBCU students have gathered for decades on Georgia's Tybee Island for a huge, unsanctioned spring break beach bash. This year will be different.

The Latest

ajc.com

Credit: Justin Taylor/AJC

A.M. ATL: Nice jacket!

A.M. ATL: How to lose an inmate

Live updates from the Masters: First round underway

Featured

Protestors demonstrate against the war in Gaza and the detention of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil at Emory University in Atlanta on March 20, 2025. The 30-year-old legal U.S. resident was detained by federal immigration agents in March. An Atlanta-based law firm has filed a lawsuit against the federal government arguing it illegally terminated the immigration records of five international students and two alumni from Georgia colleges, including one from Emory University. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Georgia college students file lawsuit to block possible visa terminations

Local students, others across the country fear arrest if legal status is not reinstated

MAKING CONNECTIONS

The world’s busiest airport: A 100-year journey

The story of Hartsfield-Jackson, the city’s most famous landmark, is emblematic of Atlanta's signature boosterism: aiming high without letting the odds get in the way.

Democratic Leader in Georgia House takes helm of party dispirited by election losses

Georgia's House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley has inspired trust in her colleagues through her calm, focused demeanor.