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Activists hold Lashawn Thompson rally at park
Activists gathered on Saturday to hold a rally to demand action after the death of inmate Lashawn Thompson at Fulton County Jail.
ATLANTA - Community activists are demanding accountability after the death of 35-year-old Lashawn Thompson, who was found covered in bed bugs in a Fulton County Jail cell. Thompson's death has exposed the deplorable conditions of the facility, prompting protests and calls for action.
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On Saturday, activists lined up at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta, holding signs and rallying for justice for Thompson. His body was discovered in a cell last September, covered in bed bugs and insects, after he was unable to pay his $2,500 bail for a misdemeanor charge.
Following Thompson's death, Sheriff Pat Labat accepted the resignations of three leaders at the jail. In a statement, the sheriff's office acknowledged the "dilapidated and rapidly eroding conditions" of the facility. Thompson's supporters are calling for the sheriff to step down and are placing blame on other city leaders.
RELATED: How should the issues at the Fulton County Jail be fixed?
The sheriff's office has launched an internal investigation into Thompson's death and is reportedly addressing the sanitation and infestation problems at the facility. Thompson's family plans to file a civil suit in response to his death.
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