Former Douglas County judge files motion to have nightclub arrest charges dropped
ATLANTA - Former Douglas County Judge Christina Peterson is seeking to have charges stemming from her recent arrest in Fulton County dismissed. Peterson was booked into jail last month following an altercation with Atlanta police at a nightclub in Buckhead. She faces charges of simple battery and felony obstruction for allegedly punching an officer.
In her motion to dismiss, Peterson asserts that she is immune from prosecution because she believed she was acting in self-defense. Her legal team disputes the police officer's account of the incident.
A hearing panel recommends Douglas County Probate Court Judge Christina Peterson be removed from office.
According to the motion, the officer claimed he was conducting an investigation and erroneously reported that a female was being escorted from the venue when, in fact, all parties were already outside. The motion also alleges that the officers involved failed to interview the victim Peterson was attempting to assist or any eyewitnesses.
The motion further states that body camera footage does not show Peterson striking the officer. Instead, the officer's report was later edited to change the description of her actions from "striking" to "forcibly pushing." Additionally, the motion claims Peterson was unaware the person she was interacting with was a police officer, supported by the footage where at least two people can be heard yelling, "That's a cop, that's a cop."
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Peterson was scheduled to appear in court last week but did not make an appearance. It is currently unclear when she will next appear in court.