In July 2016, Deputy Jerry Burns was involved in the death of Anthony Edwards following an altercation. Burns stopped Edwards and a companion, leading to a foot chase. After catching Edwards, Burns allegedly slammed his head to the ground, resulting in a skull fracture and brain bleeding. Edwards later died from his injuries. A wrongful death lawsuit accused Burns and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office of fostering a ‘culture of violence’ and using excessive force. The lawsuit also alleged attempts to cover up the incident. The Blount County District Attorney reviewed the evidence and did not pursue criminal charges against Burns. ([wate.com](https://www.wate.com/news/local-news/lawsuit-blount-county-sheriffs-office-culture-of-violence-led-to-mans-death/?utm_source=openai))
[Return to blog post](https://watchaudits.com/deputy-jerry-burns-blount-county-sheriffs-office-2/)
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