How the trial of Washington County officers unfolded

Find our coverage centered around the trial of three former Washington County deputies charged with murder following the death of Eurie Martin, a local resident.

The case, which faced various delays and ended with jurors unable to reach a verdict on some counts, stemmed from Martin's death several years ago. Read more in these stories below:

1. Former Washington County deputies face trial after being accused of tasing man to death 2. 'They're killing me.' Murder trial starts for former Washington County deputies 3. Former Washington County officer takes the stand in his own murder trial 4. Jury to deliberate in tasing murder trial of 3 former Washington County deputies 5. Georgia deputies who tased man are found not guilty of murder, jury rules

Emergency Medical Technicians wheel in a stretcher to take Muscogee County Assistant District Attorney George Lipscomb to the hospital after he fainted in court before opening arguments in the trial of three former Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies stemming from the 2017 death of Eurie Martin. By Grant Blankenship

NO. 1: FORMER WASHINGTON COUNTY DEPUTIES FACE TRIAL AFTER TASING MAN TO DEATH.

A Washington County jury will decide this week whether former deputies violated the law by allegedly tasing a man to death. | Published November 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alba Rosa

Muscogee County Assistant District Attorney George Lipscomb speaks to the jury during opening statements on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, In Washington County Superior Court in Sandersville, Georgia. Lipscomb shared details on the 2017 incident between Eurie Martin and three Washington County deputies, who are facing murder charges for allegedly tasing and assaulting Martin, ending in his death. By Katie Tucker

NO. 2: ‘THEY’RE KILLING ME.’ MURDER TRIAL STARTS FOR FORMER WASHINGTON COUNTY DEPUTIES

The trial kicked off Thursday for the three former Washington County deputies facing murder charges for allegedly tasing and physically assaulting a man exhibiting medical issues, ending in his death. | Published November 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alba Rosa

Former Washington County Deputies Michael Howell, center, and Henry Copeland, right, leave the court room in Washington County after a delay in their retrial on murder charges stemming from the 2017 death of Eurie Martin. Not pictured is third defendant Rhett Scott. By Grant Blankenship

NO. 3: FORMER WASHINGTON COUNTY OFFICER TAKES THE STAND IN HIS OWN MURDER TRIAL

One of the former Washington County deputies accused of murder after he used a taser on a man who died in the incident took the stand in court Monday, eight years after the incident. | Published November 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alba Rosa

NO. 4: JURY TO DELIBERATE IN TASING MURDER TRIAL OF 3 FORMER WASHINGTON COUNTY DEPUTIES

Jury deliberations began on Wednesday morning in the trial of three Washington County deputies who tased a mentally ill man, which prosecutors say led to his death. | Published November 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alba Rosa

Rhett Scott hugs his wife Kelly Scott, left, and his mother Karen Scott, right, after being found not guilty of felony murder in the death of Eurie Martin in 2017. By Grant Blankenship

NO. 5: 3 GEORGIA DEPUTIES WHO TASED MAN ARE FOUND NOT GUILTY OF MURDER, JURY RULES

Three Washington County sheriff’s deputies have been acquitted of murder, as a jury found them not to be criminally at fault for the death of Eurie Martin, a man who died after the officers tased him in 2017. | Published November 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alba Rosa

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.