ATLANTA — A Fulton County deputy is coming under fire for alleged bad behavior after he tased and kicked an inmate inside the Fulton County Jail.

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat exclusively released body camera footage from the incident to Channel 2′s Mark Winne.

Labat said he released the footage because “our goal is to be transparent with our community... and close the gap between law enforcement and those we serve to rebuild trust.”

In the video, Sergeant Antwan Wiggins can be seen tasing an inmate twice and kicking him.

Another man, who Labat identified as Wiggin’s lieutenant, the comes in and order Wiggins out of the area.

Manny Arora, Wiggins’ attorney, says the second time Wiggins tased the inmate, which came around the same time that the inmate can be seen taking a seat, is likely a big reason Wiggins finds himself facing charges.

Following the incident, Wiggins was indicted on charges of aggravated assault, inmate cruelty and more. Arora says the deputy will plead not guilty.

“Did he overreact? Could he have done it better? Absolutely, but he’s a human being with very limited experience in his 40s, no discipline history whatsoever and he’s just trying to do the best he could to keep the situation from exploding,” Arora said.

Arora says the second tasing should be considered in the context of what happened before.

He says that after Wiggins walked alone into the pod with 48 inmates in the overcrowded, understaffed jail, the inmate asked to be moved because he thought other inmates were stealing his things. Arora says the inmate then made physical contact with Wiggins and refused several orders.

Sheriff Labat says that the jail is overcrowded and understaffed, but Wiggins never called for help aside from requesting his lieutenant come after the first tasing.

“We need to deal with the bigger issue. We’re grateful that no one was hurt. Yes, we could’ve handled it better, but it doesn’t make it illegal,” Arora said.

Arora acknowledged to Winne that Wiggins was hysterical in the body camera video, but that a gang phrase suggesting a fight was about to happen could be heard.

Wiggins will surrender himself to the jail soon, Arora said.

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