Monday, August 28, 2023

State v. Cesary Wilborn 

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a guilty plea in the case against a former DeKalb County Jail Officer accused of violating his oath as a public officer by using excessive force against inmates.  

Cesary Wilborn, 33, pled guilty Monday to charges of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, and three counts of Violation of Oath by Public Officer in connection to incidents dating back to 2016 and 2018.

On July 8, 2016, Officer Wilborn, a jailer at the DeKalb County Jail, entered 29-year-old inmate Demetre Mason’s cell to assault him.  Defendant Wilborn struck Mason in the head several times with his hands.  Mason suffered a trauma induced seizure a few hours later, falling out of the top bunk in his cell. Doctors at Grady Memorial Hospital diagnosed Mason with a fractured jaw, and later determined the seizure was the result of the assault by Defendant Wilborn. 

After a verbal back-and-forth on February 20, 2018, inmate Marcus Tolbert, 36, slapped a breakfast tray out of Officer Wilborn’s hands. After the tray hit the ground, Defendant Wilborn immediately responded by punching Tolbert with a closed fist to his face and head area approximately 14 times, causing Tolbert to fall to the ground. 

Defendant Wilborn stood over Tolbert, who was balled up on the ground covering his face with his hands, and continued to punch him.  Defendant Wilborn was captured on video as he picked Tolbert up and body slammed him to the floor on his back then stood over him.  Tolbert received injuries to his face along with a fracture to a finger on his right hand.   

The Defendant entered a non-negotiated guilty plea.  After hearing from both sides, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson sentenced Wilborn to 10 years to serve 1 in custody in the Probation Detention Center, as well as 200 hours of community service.  Defendant Wilborn was sentenced under the First Offender Act and may not work in law enforcement while completing his sentence.  The State had requested the Defendant serve five years in prison with additional time on probation. 

The case, assigned to the District Attorney’s Anti-Corruption Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Drew Shumate, with assistance from Senior ADA Aldous McCrory, and DA Investigator Steven DiMasi.  DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy LoRandy Akies and Captain Timothy Calhoun led the initial investigation.