In 2010, Officer Jonathan Pitts was hired by the City of Goodwater without thorough background checks. Prior to his employment in Goodwater, Pitts had a history of excessive force incidents: he was reprimanded for angry outbursts with inmates as a correctional officer in Tallapoosa County, sued for excessive force while handcuffing a defendant in Camp Hill, and terminated from Bay Minette Police Department for using excessive force on a secured arrestee. On March 1, 2011, while serving as a security officer in a Goodwater courtroom, Pitts shot Brian Keith Ford twice during a sentencing hearing, causing serious physical and psychological injuries. Ford filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force and negligent hiring practices by the city. The court denied summary judgment on the state-law assault and battery claim against Pitts and the negligent-hiring claim against the City of Goodwater, allowing these claims to proceed to trial.
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