Cop’s Career Destroyed After Racially Profiling Paralyzed Black Man — Ends With $20M Lawsuit

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Decorated Army Veteran Paralyzed in Combat Assaulted by Police in Atlanta Park, Triggering Federal Conviction and Sweeping Reform

Atlanta, Georgia — What began as a quiet Wednesday morning routine for retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Marcus Webb ended in violence on a public park pathway, igniting national outrage, a federal civil rights prosecution, and sweeping law enforcement reforms across Georgia.

Webb, a 52-year-old decorated combat veteran paralyzed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq, was reading by the lake at Piedmont Park when Atlanta Police Officer Derek Rawlings approached him on June 18. Within minutes, Rawlings forcibly pulled Webb from his wheelchair, sending him crashing onto the concrete despite repeated statements that he was paralyzed.

The encounter, captured on police body camera footage and recorded by multiple bystanders, would lead to Rawlings’ conviction in federal court, a 12-year prison sentence, and a $20 million civil settlement—one of the largest police brutality verdicts in Georgia history.

A Routine Morning Interrupted

For the past five years, Webb had spent Wednesday mornings at Piedmont Park. His wife, Angela Webb, worked the early shift as a nurse at the local VA hospital, where the couple first met during his rehabilitation nearly two decades ago. After his injury in 2006 in Fallujah, Iraq, Webb rebuilt his life around new realities, retiring after 24 years of military service.

On that June morning, Webb rolled his motorized wheelchair along his usual route, coffee in hand, and settled into his preferred lakeside spot. He was reading a biography of Colin Powell, whose career had inspired his own path in the military.

Shortly before 11 a.m., Officer Rawlings approached Webb from behind.

According to body camera footage later introduced at trial, Rawlings informed Webb that police had received a call about a man matching his description allegedly selling drugs in the area. Webb appeared confused and responded calmly that he was simply reading in the park.

Then Rawlings ordered him to stand up.

Webb explained that he was paralyzed and physically unable to comply. Rawlings responded that he had “seen people fake that before” and again demanded he get out of the chair.

“I haven’t walked in 19 years,” Webb said on the recording.

The Use of Force

What happened next unfolded in seconds but would reverberate nationwide.

Despite Webb’s repeated explanations that he had suffered a spinal cord injury in Iraq and could not stand, Rawlings grabbed him and attempted to pull him from his wheelchair. Witness video shows Webb gripping the armrests as he tried to prevent himself from falling.

“I’m not resisting,” Webb can be heard saying. “I’m paralyzed.”

Rawlings pulled harder. Webb lost his grip and fell forward onto the concrete pathway. Unable to brace himself, he struck the ground face-first. His shoulder was later diagnosed as dislocated, and his face sustained abrasions.

Onlookers began shouting. Several recorded the incident on their phones. One witness can be heard yelling, “He’s disabled! What are you doing?”

Rawlings then demanded identification as Webb lay on the pavement, unable to move his lower body.

A Retired Colonel Intervenes

Among the witnesses was retired Army Colonel Thomas Henderson, who had been jogging nearby. Henderson later testified that he recognized the Purple Heart pin that had fallen to the ground during the altercation.

“Officer, stand down,” Henderson told Rawlings, according to court records.

Henderson identified Webb as a decorated combat veteran and called for emergency medical services. Paramedics arrived within minutes and carefully returned Webb to his wheelchair before transporting him for treatment.

Angela Webb arrived shortly after receiving a call from the VA hospital. Court testimony described her confronting Rawlings, demanding an explanation for why her husband—paralyzed while serving his country—had been treated as a suspect and forcibly removed from his wheelchair.

Rawlings offered no clear explanation at the scene.

The 911 Call and Discrepancies

Within hours, video of the incident had spread widely on social media, drawing millions of views. Public pressure mounted, prompting the Atlanta Police Department to release additional details, including the original 911 call.

According to transcripts introduced in court, the caller described “a young man in a hoodie on a bicycle” who appeared suspicious.

Webb was 52 years old, wearing a Howard University T-shirt, and seated in a wheelchair.

Federal prosecutors later argued that Rawlings fabricated the connection between Webb and the reported suspect.

An internal review of Rawlings’ personnel file revealed 18 prior complaints alleging excessive force or racial profiling. Three previous complaints involved accusations that individuals were “faking” disabilities. All had been deemed unfounded by internal affairs.

Text messages recovered from Rawlings’ phone became key evidence at trial. In one exchange, he wrote, “Love calling out fakers. Makes them prove they’re really crippled.”

Prosecutors argued that these messages demonstrated intent and a pattern of discriminatory conduct.

Federal Charges and Trial

The FBI opened a civil rights investigation within 48 hours. A federal grand jury later indicted Rawlings on charges including deprivation of rights under color of law, assault on a disabled person, filing false reports, and civil rights violations.

The criminal trial took place in federal court in Atlanta. Veterans filled the courtroom throughout the proceedings.

Webb testified in his Army dress uniform, displaying his Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and other service decorations.

“I built a life from this chair,” Webb told the jury. “And in 30 seconds, he tried to take my dignity.”

Body camera footage was played in full. Jurors watched as Webb calmly explained his disability before being forcibly pulled to the ground.

The defense argued that Rawlings had made a mistake while attempting to investigate a reported crime. Prosecutors countered that the description provided in the 911 call bore no resemblance to Webb and that the officer’s own messages showed a bias against disabled individuals.

After approximately three hours of deliberation, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts.

At sentencing six weeks later, the judge imposed a 12-year federal prison term, citing Rawlings’ pattern of conduct and the targeting of a disabled veteran. He was permanently barred from law enforcement, and his certification was revoked.

Civil Settlement and Reform

Webb subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Atlanta. After a six-day trial, a jury awarded $20 million in damages.

At a press conference held at the Atlanta VA hospital, Webb announced he would donate significant portions of the settlement. Funds were directed to organizations supporting paralyzed veterans, spinal cord injury research, and scholarships for children of disabled service members.

“I asked for accountability,” Webb said. “The money will go to the people who helped me survive and to those who will need help in the future.”

The case prompted broader institutional changes. Several supervisors who had previously dismissed complaints against Rawlings were disciplined or terminated. The department underwent restructuring of its internal affairs division and implemented expanded disability awareness training.

Georgia lawmakers passed new legislation requiring supervisory notification when law enforcement encounters involve individuals with visible disabilities and establishing criminal penalties for disability-based harassment by officers.

A Return to the Park

Three months after the verdict, Webb returned to Piedmont Park on a Wednesday morning. This time, he was joined by hundreds of veterans—many in wheelchairs—who gathered in solidarity.

A commemorative bench bearing his name was installed near the lake where the incident occurred.

The mayor and the city’s police chief offered public remarks acknowledging the harm caused and pledging continued reform.

Webb resumed his reading routine in the same spot where he had been pulled to the ground months earlier.

For him, the return symbolized more than personal resilience. It underscored a broader message about dignity, disability, and accountability.

“Wheelchairs don’t diminish worth,” Henderson said at the gathering. “Service doesn’t expire.”

The federal case file now stands as a record of civil rights enforcement and institutional failure corrected through public scrutiny and judicial process.