MARCH 2 - 8, 2023
www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com
VOL 32 • NO. 36
e CHAMPION
The official legal organ of DeKalb County, EA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Uthonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stonecrest and Stone Mountain.
504
LOCAL
Chief deputy
retires after
30 years;
sheriff names
replacement
PAGE 2
LOCAL
English
programs to
expand for
refugees,
immigrants in
Clarkston
PAGE 7
SPORTS
Arabia
Mountain
triple threat
combines for
DeKalb sued over shooting
during ‘mental health crisis’
BY JAY PHILLIPS
JAY@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
The family of Matthew Zadok
Williams and its attorneys announced
Feb. 18 that they filed a lawsuit against
DeKalb County for the violating the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
On April 12, 2021, Williams was shot
by DeKalb law enforcement officers in
his home. Attorneys from Davis Bozeman
Law Firm—which is representing the
family—alleged that Williams was
suffering a mental health crisis when he
was shot.
Davis Bozeman Law Firm officials said
the civil lawsuit names DeKalb County as
the sole defendant and alleges a violation
of the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 for "failing to make reasonable
modifications to policies, practices, and
procedures, and the failure to provide
reasonable accommodations."
According to the attorneys'
announcement, Williams also called
911 on March 16, 2021, requesting an
ambulance because he was suffering a
mental health crisis. The news release
states that officers who responded to
Williams' home referred to the call as
a "behavioral health crisis," but the
DeKalb County is being sued over the death of
Matthew Zadok Williams, whom attorneys argue
was shot by law enforcement during a mental health
crisis. File photo
attorneys said the officers did not provide
any mental health support or resources.
According to a news release from
Davis Bozeman Law Firm, on March
16, 2021, no ambulance was called, no
mental health professional was consulted
by the officers, no report was generated,
and officers did not make a mental health
referral for Williams. DeKalb County has
a Mobile Crisis Unit (MCU) which was
created to assist DeKalb County Police
Department officers when responding to
crisis situations. The MCU was never sent
to Williams' home on March 16 or April
SEE CRISIS ON PAGE 6
Miles Bryant, right, is a former
Doraville police officer who has
been charged with kidnapping and
murdering 16-year-old Susana
Morales, left. File photo
Former Doraville police
officer charged with
kidnapping, murder
BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE
CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
A former Doraville police
officer has been charged with
kidnapping and murdering a
16-year-old girl.
On Feb. 22, officials with
Gwinnett Police Department
announced they had charged
Norcross resident Miles
Bryant, 22, with kidnapping
and felony murder in
connection with the death
of Susana Morales. Bryant
was already in custody at
Gwinnett Detention Center
on charges of concealing the
death of another and false
SEE DORAVILLE ON PAGE 6
SWD wrestlers win several state championships
3,000
PAGE 12
VISIT US ONLINE @
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64116 00001
BY JAY PHILLIPS
JAY@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
Southwest DeKalb High School wrestlers Isaiah
Scott, Jerrel Baskins, and Dharrin Smith won state
championships on Feb. 18 in Macon, while teammate
Jayden Hammonds was a runner-up for the Southwest
DeKalb Panthers and head coach Keith Johnson.
The individual state championships for Scott (4A-
215 weight class), Baskins (4A-175), and Smith (4A-157)
marked Southwest DeKalb's wrestling program's first state
championships since Rock Ya-Sin—now a defensive back
for the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders—won a title in 2014.
The state titles combined with Hammonds' (4A-138)
fourth place finish also gave Southwest DeKalb a third
overall finish in 4A - which Johnson said was especially
SEE WRESTLING ON PAGE 13
Southwest DeKalb High School won three state championships and
had a runner-up at the 4A wrestling state championship meet. Photos
provided
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