McQueen v. Ballard et al

On August 14, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, off-duty security guard Derrick Ballard, employed by Sentinel Security Corp., confronted 32-year-old Marcus McQueen at a shopping mall. Ballard suspected McQueen of shoplifting. A physical altercation ensued in the parking lot, during which Ballard placed McQueen in a chokehold. McQueen lost consciousness and was pronounced dead at a local hospital hours later. The Fulton County District Attorney declined to file criminal charges, citing insufficient evidence of criminal intent. In response, McQueen's widow, Elena McQueen, filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against both Ballard and Sentinel Security Corp., alleging excessive force and corporate negligence in hiring and training practices.

The civil trial concluded in early 2026. The jury found Derrick Ballard liable for battery and wrongful death, and Sentinel Security Corp. liable for negligent supervision and training. The court awarded the plaintiff $15 million in compensatory damages and an additional $10 million in punitive damages against the corporation.

The central dispute was whether Derrick Ballard used excessive lethal force that was disproportionate to the suspected shoplifting threat, and whether Sentinel Security Corp. was vicariously liable for failing to adequately train Ballard on de-escalation techniques and the prohibition of chokeholds per their own corporate policy.

The case ignited renewed protests across Atlanta against private security forces and unregulated use of force, drawing parallels to high-profile police brutality cases. It prompted the Georgia state legislature to fast-track the "Marcus McQueen Act," which mandates standardized de-escalation training and bans chokeholds for all licensed private security personnel statewide.