By Rebekka Schramm
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The now-former Douglas County judge accused of punching an Atlanta police officer at a Buckhead nightclub was expected in court Thursday, but the hearing will have to be reset for another date.
Former Douglas County probate judge Christina Peterson is trying to get her criminal charges dismissed.
Peterson hired Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. as her attorney, and he wants the charges dropped. However, he didn’t show up Thursday morning. He filed paperwork Wednesday afternoon indicating he’s on a leave of absence.
Based on photos posted to Arrington’s Instagram page, he’s at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. Arrington told court employees that he originally filed his leave of absence notice three weeks ago, but the prosecutor in the case told the judge she didn’t see the notice until late Wednesday.
The case stems from a disturbance that happened June 20 at about 3:15 a.m. Atlanta police responded to a disturbance at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge in Buckhead, a nightclub which has since closed.
An officer ended up arresting a woman who he says punched him. Police would later learn that the woman they arrested was Judge Peterson. She was charged with simple battery against a police officer and felony willful obstruction of law enforcement.
After Peterson’s arrest, the Georgia Supreme Court removed her from the bench for judicial misconduct unrelated to the arrest.
Arrington wants the criminal charges dropped. He said the officer lied about being punched and said his client was simply trying to help her friend who was being restrained by a man she didn’t realize was a police officer.
The Fulton County judge did not immediately set a new date for the motion to dismiss hearing.
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