DeKalb County deputy arrested

A sheriff’s deputy in DeKalb County was arrested Thursday in connection with a fight that happened a year ago in which a complainant claims he was kicked.

Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffery Bain Jr. and his brother, Jacob Bain, 20, were arrested after Christopher Sanders filed warrants for their arrest, DeKalb Sheriff Jimmy Harris said in a news release.

In the warrant, Sanders alleges he was assaulted by Jacob Bain and that Jeffery Bain joined in the fight and kicked him, the release states. The incident took place at a house in Valley Head, Ala., on Oct. 13, 2009, the release said.

But Jacob Bain said he was the only one to strike Sanders and that, as he was taking off his shirt, Sanders hit him with brass knuckles, the release states.

No action was taken after the fight in 2009 because Sanders didn’t press charges until now, the release states.

Jeffery and Jacob Bain were charged with third-degree assault after Cherokee County Circuit Clerk Dwayne Amos issued the warrants, the release stated.

Jeffery Bain was placed on administrative leave after he was arrested Thursday, the release states. He and his brother turned themselves in at the jail and, after posting bond, they were released.

The sheriff did not return calls seeking comment.

But in the release, Harris claims that his opponent in the sheriff’s race was pushing for the deputy to be arrested, suggesting that it was a political ploy.

“I pray that a good officer is not being sacrificed for purely political reasons,” he said in the news release.

Lamar Bray, Harris’ opponent, chuckled when asked Thursday afternoon if he was involved in the deputy’s arrest.

“If you see a crime being committed and you call the police, is it your fault because they committed a crime because you reported it?” he said.