Coweta County District Attorney Herb Cranford said the criminal probe into the fatal shooting of Zadarious Dorsey centers on self-defense. Newly disclosed investigative records show the encounter on Cliff Circle lasted two minutes, with forensic testing confirming Dorsey's DNA on a stolen 9mm handgun found 42 feet away. NEWNAN, Ga. – The criminal review into the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Zadarious Dorsey hinges on self-defense rather than whether the officer had legal grounds to chase him, prosecutors announced. Coweta County District Attorney Herb Cranford confirmed his investigation focuses strictly on whether the Newnan police officer reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to protect his life. Cranford took no position on whether the officer had legal grounds to stop Dorsey. While outlining Fourth Amendment standards for police stops, Cranford emphasized that under Georgia self-defense law, whether the officer had "reasonable suspicion" to detain Dorsey is legally irrelevant to whether the shooting was justified. The district attorney shared these findings during two closed-door briefings at the Coweta County Justice Center. He first met with civil rights attorneys representing the maternal side of Dorsey's family. Later, he held a session for the paternal side of the family, local clergy, and elected officials, including Newnan Mayor James Shepherd and Coweta County Commissioner Al Smith. Forensic tests completed Oct. 15 confirmed Dorsey’s DNA was on a…
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