KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – An East Tennessee sheriff says a deputy has been fired after a photo was published that appears to show him choking a college student who was charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest.
Knox County Sheriff Jimmy Jones said in a statement Sunday that he believes 47-year-old Frank Phillips used "excessive force" during the arrest Saturday night and that the deputy has been terminated.
Local media reports that two other deputies have been placed on administrative leave after photos showed them handcuffing the University of Tennessee student.
The Knoxville News Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1kl4QBG) reports that the photos were taken by freelance photographer John Messner and first appeared on the website of the U.K. Daily Mail. The caption says the deputy, whose hands appear to be around the suspect's neck, rendered him unconscious.
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Information from: Knoxville News Sentinel, http://www.knoxnews.com
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