SANDERSVILLE, Ga. — A jury will resume deliberations Thursday in the trial of three former Washington County sheriff's deputies charged in the 2017 death of Eurie Martin, bringing an eight-year legal saga closer to resolution.

Henry Lee Copeland, Michael Howell and Rhett Scott face charges stemming from Martin's death in July 2017 after he was repeatedly tased while in custody. The jury began deliberating around 3 p.m. Wednesday following closing arguments and stopped for the day just before 5:30 p.m.

The case has taken numerous legal turns since the deputies were indicted in December 2017. A 2019 immunity ruling temporarily dismissed the charges, but the Georgia Supreme Court overturned that decision in 2020. A 2021 trial ended in a mistrial before the current proceedings began.

Clos

See Full Page