WSBTV
C.J. Meeks, a corporal for the Carrollton Police Department, has resigned. The five-year department veteran was the subject of an internal investigation after video surfaced on social media that appeared to show him punching a 20-year-old man in the face during an arrest.
The video shows Cpl. Meeks threatening the young man, Amor Ellison, in a Zaxby’s parking lot. Meeks threatened to arrest Ellison if he didn’t provide an address, while Ellison said he was showing up to pick up his last paycheck.
Meeks then charges Ellison as two other officers help violently take him to the ground.
It appeared that Ellison hit his head on a car before Meeks continued to escalate the situation and then delivered a punch to Ellson’s face.
“I knew I was going to hit the ground, and I didn’t know what would come after that, so I kinda went with the flow, started going to the ground with them, so, I let them do it. I let them take me down. I didn’t want them to rough me up any more than that,” Ellison told WSB-TV 2 in Atlanta.
After the incident, Carrollton police Chief Joel Richards had a message for Ellison and his family.
“We will be as transparent as we can. I assure you that,” he said.
You can watch the troubling video below, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
On Thursday, January 10, Meeks resigned from the department before the internal investigation into his use of excessive force could be completed.
“Prior to the completion of the investigation, the officer involved, Cpl. CJ Meeks, resigned and is no longer employed by the Carrollton Police Department,” Richards said in a statement. “We take these matters very seriously, and we will always strive to maintain public trust.”
Video of the incident was captured by an onlooker in the Zaxby’s parking lot as it escalated.