Atlanta Falcons' Zachariah Branch Cleared of Misdemeanor Charges in Athens Incident
Former Georgia football and current Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch had misdemeanor charges against him dismissed following an incident in downtown Athens. The charges of obstruction of a law enforcement officer and obstructing a public sidewalk were dropped by Solicitor Will Fleenor after reviewing all evidence, including videos. Branch's attorney, Kim Stephens, stated that Branch cooperated fully with law enforcement and did not commit a crime on the night of his arrest. The Falcons drafted Branch in the third round of the NFL Draft despite the arrest, and Branch expressed confidence that the incident did not affect his draft stock.