By Joe Johnson
The county has agreed to settle a lawsuit that was filed by a man who alleged that Athens-Clarke County police officers used excessive force when arresting him over two years ago.
As part of the agreement, the county will pay $237,000 to the defendant, who was then a college student who now lives former University of Georgia student who now lives in Marietta. While the county's legal agreement does not admit to any wrongdoing,it purports a desire to settle the case to avoid further legal fees.
Filed in November 2021, the legal action resulted from the arrest of London Rozier Best by three police officers outside Centro bar on East Clayton Street.
Best, then 20 and a football player at a college in North Carolina, was arrested and later banned from Centro because he allegedly was heard using profanity.
When Bestwas arrested, it was videotaped by a witness who videoed police officers using a stun gun on the student.
The lawsuit alleges that officers violated Best's 1st and 4th Amendment rights.
Well it’s nice know that after your done partying in Athens you can go home a quarter of a million dollars richer.