Crabtree, Brown and Williams see cases reset for September

JACKSBORO, TN. (WLAF)- Three men charged with assaulting an inmate at the Campbell County Jail will have their cases called again in September.

During yesterday’s Eighth Judicial District Criminal Court, convened via Zoom, it appeared one of them was attempting to fire his attorney.

Justin Crabtree, the man under the most scrutiny in the alleged assault, had contacted another attorney when he couldn’t get in touch with his current counsel Sal Varsalona.

Telling the court he sought new counsel when Varsalona became unreachable, Crabtree was appearing in court from Varsalona’s office.

Slightly off camera and clad in a baseball cap, Varsalona said he had dropped his phone in the lake but the issue had been resolved.

Dakota Williams and Sean Brown, Crabtree’s former co- workers, and who were indicted in the incident as well, also had their attorneys present.

It was agreed all cases would be called in September.

A Campbell County Grand Jury previously indicted the 24-year-old Crabtree for aggravated assault and official oppression.  Crabtree, a deputy with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, was accused of assaulting Nathan Patrick Thomas Ling in June 2019. He is also accused of using excessive force on Ling, a Michigan resident, according to court records.  Crabtree was the only person the Eighth Judicial District Attorney’s Office was seeking to indict.

However, after reviewing the evidence, the grand jury returned a presentment on two other deputies.  A presentment holds the same weight as an indictment but is acted on by the grand jury itself.

Williams, 23, and Brown, 20, were indicted for official misconduct, official oppression and assault, according to court records.

Grand juries have the purview to indict people not presented by the district attorney’s office as one of its functions under state law.

Crabtree was fired during the course of the investigation while Brown’s association with the department had ended prior to the allegations surfacing.  Williams is currently on unpaid leave.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/26/2020-6AM)