Police officer who choked former NFL player Desmond Marrow in viral video has been fired
The police officer seen choking and slamming former NFL player Desmond Marrow to the ground last month just outside of Atlanta has been fired, authorities announced Thursday. The felony obstruction charge against Marrow has also been dropped.
Video of the incident in Henry County, Georgia, surfaced last month, prompting an internal investigation. Officer David Rose was one of the officers responding to an alleged road-rage incident involving Marrow in a Target parking lot in December, and can be seen on video choking Marrow while he was on the ground in handcuffs.
Rose “was administratively charged with unnecessary force and conduct violations from the department and county,” prompting his firing, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also reportedly seen on his on-car camera system saying that he was not going to write some of his actions during the incident in his report.
Marrow was initially charged with obstruction of an officer, making terroristic threats, aggressive driving and reckless conduct. The Henry County Magistrate Court dropped the terroristic threats charge on Dec. 11, according to the AJC.
“Henry County got it right,” Andrea Boyd, one of Marrow’s attorney’s, told the AJC. “We thank and commend [Police Chief Mark Amerman] for doing what is right, going by the facts of the investigation and determining that officer Rose is unfit to serve on our police force.”
Officer Matt Donaldson, who helped Rose force Marrow to the ground, will not face charges as he “acted within department policy,” police chief Mark Amerman said.
“We promised to find the truth for Desmond Marrow, wherever it took us,” Amerman said in a statement. “He and all people deserve the truth, and being open and transparent is important to us at the Henry County Police Department.”
Marrow played cornerback at the University of Toldeo, and made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ preseason squad in 2012. Below, via Morrow’s Facebook page, is the initial video.
Warning: this is a violent, possibly disturbing video:
Marrow’s legal team is currently pursuing a dismissal of his other misdemeanor charges.
“It’s a great day, but we’re not done whatsoever in Henry County,” Chris Stewart, one of Marrow’s attorney’s, told the AJC. “[The board of commissioners] need to finish what could be the blueprint for how civil rights cases should be handled by resolving [Marrow’s civil lawsuit] in its entirety.”
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Terez Paylor: Jets rookie’s unlikely journey from bouncer to the NFL
• Jerry Jones hurt Dez Bryant, but he doesn’t think it matters
• MLS team about to make $16M mistake with Wayne Rooney
• Did video game obsession lead to pitcher’s injury?
