Unjustly Imprisoned: Black Woman Exonerates Herself After Being Mistakenly Arrested Instead of White Suspect

A 49-year-old Black woman, Nickie Sledge, faced an unjust arrest in Georgia while with her grandson, stemming from a case of mistaken identity involving a white suspect from Kentucky with a similar name. On December 21, 2024, deputies from Rockdale County wrongly apprehended Sledge at a Conyers movie theater, alleging elder abuse charges based on a warrant for a 43-year-old white woman named Nikki Sledge, who lived hundreds of miles away. After being misled outside under false pretenses, Sledge was apprehended, strip-searched, and detained for three days in Cherokee County Jail. Despite having no criminal history, Sledge endured the trauma of being wrongly incarcerated, exhibiting the critical failures of law enforcement. Her attorney, Harry M. Daniels, indicated potential civil litigation against Cherokee County to seek justice for this traumatic ordeal. Although Sledge had her charges dropped in February, the psychological impact of the wrongful arrest lingers, raising concerns about her future. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has initiated a review of the incident.