Douglas County judge charged with felony following arrest at Buckhead nightclub, attorney believes charges should be dismissed

Records show Christina J. Peterson was booked into the Fulton County Jail on Thursday. She is being charged with a felony.

Author: Dajhea Jones, Angelina Salcedo, 11Alive Staff

Updated: 5:20 PM EDT June 21, 2024

A metro Atlanta judge is facing multiple charges after being arrested at a Buckhead nightclub early Thursday morning.

Douglas County Probate Judge Christina Peterson is charged with felony willful obstruction of a police officer by using threats or violence and simple battery against a police officer, according to Fulton County Jail records.

Atlanta Police said that the arrest occurred after a 911 call to a business at 3179 Peachtree Road NE early Thursday morning, which is the address of Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge.

Warrants from the Fulton County Magistrate Court stated that Peterson allegedly "struck an officer with a closed fist." The court documents also revealed that the officer was investigating a dispute between two people at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge. Warrants stated that Peterson was not involved in the initial altercation.

But Peterson's attorney, Marvin Arrington Jr, said the arrest and charges weren't justified because Peterson was trying to help a woman who was being attacked by a man.

"The judge did nothing more than try to help. The fiancé of the judge's friend and another person are all eyewitnesses that will confirm what both the young lady who was being assaulted said and what her friend said, that the judge had nothing to do and they let the young man who was assaulting the lady go" Arrington Jr. said.

He adds all charges should be dropped. They held a news conference on Friday where they added new details about what happened.

11Alive spoke to the two women who he's referencing. One said she was the one being attacked, while the other was her friend who was trying to get her help.

"It was so sad. I'm being attacked, and there were so many men there. So many men and no one stepped up to help but a woman. I just got an X-ray done on my lower back. I landed on my elbows. He punched me in my face. I have a couple of scrapes on my toes, and my thumb is jammed," Alexandria Love said.

She said the argument started over a place in line for food just outside of Red Martini Club. Her friend Madison Shannon Kelly said they didn't understand why Judge Peterson was arrested.

"The focus is not the judge; it's the man that attacked my friend. It’s only because of the way she was swinging. She was trying to grab the guy, but he was so big and strong so her grasp was not connecting. In the process of her reaching back, that’s how the cop got hit. I know it's wrong to hit an officer, but I know it was an accident. She did not intentionally do that," Kelly said.

According to jail records, it appears Peterson is no longer an inmate at the Fulton County Jail.

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/douglas-county-judge-christina-peterson-charged-felony-arrest/85-f21d9625-3269-48eb-b1ff-4736178e3435

(I don't believe that story)