Atlanta police release body camera footage of judge’s arrest after incident with officer

Atlanta police have released body camera footage of the moments leading up to the arrest of a Douglas County probate court judge.

The video, released Friday evening, shows the confrontation between an off-duty Atlanta police officer and Judge Christina Peterson at the Red Martini bar in Buckhead.

Channel 2’s Darryn Moore watched nearly two hours of video to see what happened moments before his arrest.

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There was an argument and fight in an area outside the salon. When a police officer intervened, he said the judge had hit him. She said it was an accident.

Police say Peterson pushed the officer in the chest. The video then shows the officer tackling her to the ground and handcuffing her.

Witnesses say Peterson was trying to stop a man from attacking another woman.

“She was the one who caught him. She didn’t mean to hit the officer,” Alexandria Love said.

“I don’t know what happened but I know she deliberately didn’t want to hurt a police officer,” said another witness, Madison Kelley.

Love says she was the one Peterson was trying to help and the man who attacked her fled.

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Attorney Marvin Arrington Jr., who represents Peterson, says she behaved like a good Samaritan and did nothing wrong.

“We think the Atlanta police should drop the charges,” he said. “And if they can’t revoke them, then the DA’s office should do it.”

Peterson faces charges of simple battery on a police officer and criminal obstruction.

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