An incident that took place on January 16, 2022, in Kingsland, Georgia, began during a traffic stop for failing to obey a “stop” sign. Officer Christine “Christi” Newman stopped a woman who worked for the local water department, but the situation quickly escalated when the driver refused to get out of the vehicle. According to police bodycam footage, the officer forcibly pulled her out, handcuffed her, then struck her in the face and ultimately slammed her head against the patrol car.
The case gained attention some time later, when a local organization obtained video of the incident through public records and described it as disturbing. This led the prosecutor to request an investigation by state authorities. After reviewing the evidence, the case was presented to a grand jury, which ultimately decided to formally charge the officer for her conduct during the incident.
As a result, Newman faces six charges, including aggravated assault, simple assault, false statement, and three violations of her duty as a public official. One of the key points was that the jury considered her version of events in the police report to be false. Following the indictment, she was fired from her position, turned herself in to the authorities, posted a bond of $10,000, and was released while the judicial process moves forward.
Here is the video of the incident: