Confrontation at Thomas Co. Jail sparks use of force concerns

Sheriff's office says deputy acted 'lawfully' during incident

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:52pm

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The Thomas County Sheriff's Office said one of its deputies acted 'reasonably and lawfully' in a confrontation that turned physical over the weekend. The incident occurred when Jacori Pettway and Marcus Richardson came to the jail to bond out someone else, and a dispute arose over the jail's policy of only allowing one person in the Sally Port area at a time for the bonding process.

Why it matters

The incident has sparked concerns over the use of force by the deputy, with Pettway's mother, Demetria Johnson, arguing that the deputy went too far. The video of the incident shows Pettway and Richardson recording the confrontation, which the sheriff's office says justified the deputy's actions.

The details

During the altercation, Pettway was tased before falling onto a van and hitting his head. Lt. Kevin Dennis of the Thomas County Sheriff's Office said Pettway and Richardson were making 'disorderly comments, racial slurs towards the deputies,' which led to the confrontation. The sheriff's office has defended the deputy's actions, stating that the deputy was 'well within his rights to take action' due to the confrontation and the bright camera flash being 'directly in that person's face.'

  • The incident occurred just before 4 a.m. on Saturday, March 30, 2026.

The players

Jacori Pettway

One of the individuals involved in the confrontation at the Thomas County Jail.

Marcus Richardson

One of the individuals involved in the confrontation at the Thomas County Jail.

Lt. Kevin Dennis

A lieutenant with the Thomas County Sheriff's Office who provided details about the incident.

Demetria Johnson

The mother of Jacori Pettway, who argued that the deputy went too far in the confrontation.

Thomas County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that was involved in the incident and has defended the deputy's actions.

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What they’re saying

“'These two men, they were making disorderly comments, racial slurs towards the deputies.'”

— Lt. Kevin Dennis, Lieutenant, Thomas County Sheriff's Office

“'If you provoke someone enough, whatever you're giving them, they're going to give it back to you. I know my son wasn't physical.'”

— Demetria Johnson, Mother of Jacori Pettway

“'In this particular case, there was a cellphone with a bright camera, it was placed directly in that person's face - the agent. And the agent is, to some disagree, disabled - I mean the blinding light. He could be attacked, especially when there's a confrontation in close proximity like that. So, there's no doubt, the officer, he was well within his rights to take action.'”

— Lt. Kevin Dennis, Lieutenant, Thomas County Sheriff's Office

“'You are law enforcement, so you should know how to handle certain situations. It didn't take that just because someone was recording you, so that wasn't necessary at all.'”

— Demetria Johnson, Mother of Jacori Pettway

What’s next

The Thomas County Sheriff's Office has stated that it will conduct a full investigation into the incident to determine if the deputy's actions were appropriate. The results of the investigation are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between law enforcement and the public, particularly around the use of force and the rights of individuals to record police interactions. The differing perspectives from the sheriff's office and Pettway's mother underscore the need for continued dialogue and reform to ensure that law enforcement can effectively carry out their duties while also respecting the rights and dignity of all citizens.