Less than two days after the incident, the Atlanta Police Department released body camera footage showing Douglas County probate Judge Christina Peterson‘s arrest. The incident, outside Red Martini Restaurant & Lounge in Atlanta, sparked controversy and raised questions about the details of her arrest.
On June 20th, at around 3:18 a.m., an Atlanta police officer working an approved extra job overheard a commotion near Red Martini on Peachtree Road Northeast. According to the police, security was escorting a woman out of the venue when Peterson, 38, approached and began yelling at the officer and security guard. The situation escalated when Peterson allegedly pushed the officer twice, leading to her arrest. The arrest report states that Peterson refused to cooperate, delaying the identification process.
Peterson’s attorney, Marvin Arrington, disputes the police account, citing inconsistencies in the officer’s statements. In the body camera footage, Officer Keith Wadsworth claims he was “punched” several times, though the arrest warrant mentions being struck “with a closed fist.” Arrington argues that Peterson did not assault the officer and insists there is cell phone video evidence to support his claim.
After the arrest, Peterson was held in a police vehicle for over an hour, during which she reportedly used profanity towards Officer Wadsworth. She repeatedly refused to identify herself when taken to the city jail, leading to further delays. Eventually, she was transferred to Fulton County Jail and charged with battery against a police officer and felony obstruction of law enforcement. Notably, she was initially told she was being arrested for “disorderly conduct.”
Arrington is seeking additional footage and eyewitness accounts to clear Peterson’s name. He believes the charges will ultimately be dismissed and is committed to proving her innocence. Peterson, who has been released on a $5,000 bond, is ordered to avoid contact with law enforcement and stay away from Red Martini.
This isn’t the first time Peterson has come under scrutiny. In April, a Judicial Qualifications Commission panel found her guilty of “systemic incompetence,” recommending her removal from office. The first-time judge has also been the subject of several Atlanta’s FOX 5 I-Team investigations since she took office in late 2020. The panel determined that Peterson ignored courthouse rules, abused courthouse personnel, made inappropriate posts on social media, and repeatedly failed to do her job.
The decision came after four separate hearings in September 2023, during which she faced 30 counts of misconduct. In their report, the hearing panel stated, “Judges are expected to act in a manner that promotes the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. Respondent has shown that she cannot — or will not — do so. And so she must go.” The Georgia Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether to approve the hearing panel’s recommendation at a later date.
