Guard arrested after roughing up customer in Athens Social Security office

By Joe Johnson

A security guard was arrested at the Social Security Administration on Prince Avenue this week after roughing up a man who had taken photographs inside the building.

Charles Mack Jones, a 65-year-old Elberton resident, told police that he was taking pictures of signs in the government offices because he wanted to read them at home.

He claimed that the guard, Michael McCarey Williams, confronted him about photography being prohibited then slammed him to the ground.

Williams, 51, from Athens, gave a much different account of the incident

He told police that after advising Jones of the policy he escorted the man to the vestibule where he showed him signage prohibiting taking photographs inside the building. Jones became irate, he said, insisting it was his constitutional right to take photos of anything he wanted to.

When Jones attempted to reenter the offices, Williams said he lifted the man up and swept away his legs to take him to the ground.

A struggle that ensued ended when the man’s wife intervened, Williams told police.

When officers viewed video of the incident they concluded that the guard had “used too much force for the issue,” and taking into consideration bruising of Jones’s arm, they arrested Williams for misdemeanor battery.

He was released from jail upon posting bail.

ribs.

Michael McCarey Williams, 51, of Peachtree Street, was charged with battery for

he slammed a man to the ground for taking photos.