Family of inmate killed inside Fulton County Jail plans to file lawsuit

Inmate describes Fulton County Jail conditions to board

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat went head to head with county commissioners at Wednesday's board meeting, over his plans to move hundreds of inmates to facilities in Mississippi and south Georgia. Some of the commissioners oppose the idea, and the millions of dollars that would be spent to pay for the transfers.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - The family of an inmate reportedly stabbed to death in the Fulton County Jail in 2022 plan to file a lawsuit.

In a statement, attorneys for the family of Dino Walker are giving the county and sheriff 30 days to address the situation at the jail before they file their lawsuit.

On Sept. 22, 2022, Walker was reportedly stabbed multiple times and left bleeding on the floor by two inmates after a detention officer left his post for almost an hour, the family alleges.

Attorneys say they have video capturing the murder which also showed inmates seemingly unaffected by the act of violence.

"This shocking incident underscores the serious concerns about the safety and security protocols within the Fulton County Jail currently being investigated by the Department of Justice," the Davis Bozeman Law Firm, which is representing the family, said in a statement.

SHERIFF SUGGESTS REFUSING NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS BE BOOKED INTO FULTON COUNTY JAIL

Family of man who died in Fulton County Jail files suit

The family of a Fulton County inmate, stabbed to death in the jail before his trial, has notified Fulton County officials that they plan to file suit. The attorneys say Dino Walker was stabbed to death by two inmates when a detention officer walked away from his post for more than an hour.

His family is devastated.

"We start by wanting the world to know that Dino Walker was a son, a father and a friend. He should not be dehumanized or criminalized," one of the lawyers said during a press conference Thursday.

Walker's mother, partner and 2-year-old son are still struggling after he was stabbed to death by two inmates last September when a detention officer stepped away from his post at the notorious 7 North floor of the Fulton County Jail.

"While he was on the floor with blood pooling around him violence had become so normalized at the Fulton County jail that other inmates simply walked around him stepping over him looking at him as some sort of oddity but without providing any assistance whatsoever," attorney Harold Spence affirmed.

Sheriff's office responds to Dino Walker lawsuit

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office has now responded to claims made by the family of an inmate who died in the county jail. The family of Dino Walker announced their intent to sue the county Thursday.

In March 2023, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office discovered over 200 handmade shanks, a cell phone, and other contraband during a search of the jail.

"Inmates are literally crafting shanks from the crumbling walls of the dilapidated facility," Fulton County Sheriff Patrick "Pat" Labat said at the time. "We must remain vigilant in our efforts to confiscate dangerous weapons and contraband as we work to ensure the safety and security of all."

The attorneys and family members will discuss their intentions and the lawsuit at a news conference on Thursday.

DA responds to Fulton County Jail inmate's death

The family of a Fulton County inmate stabbed to death in the jail before his trial has notified Fulton County officials that they plan to file suit. Family attorneys say Dino Walker was stabbed to death by two inmates when a detention officer walked away from his post for more than an hour.

Attorneys and several organizations, including the racial justice organization called The Color of Change, say poor, predominately black inmates are being mistreated, neglected and left to die.

They place much of the blame on Sheriff Patrick Labat and DA Fani Willis whom they call a "headline chaser."

"With Fani Willis obviously she's out there grabbing the headlines because of Trump case. She is currently the hero of liberal America, but meanwhile back at home we have to live with the consequences of her inaction," Color of Change Director Michael Collins exclaimed.

The Color of Change says Willis has 11,000-12,000 unindicted cases at the jail right now.

The pros and cons of moving inmates out of state

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat says transferring hundreds of inmates out of state will ease jail overcrowding and clear the way for much needed repairs and upgrades at the facility. But some county commissioners and public defenders oppose the plan. They went head to head with the sheriff during Wednesday's Fulton County Commission meeting.

While community activists blasted Sheriff Labat for forcing inmates to testify to the board of commissioners yesterday.

"To march them into the [Fulton County] Board of Commissioners meeting under armed guard and talk about how bad the conditions are at the jail, when the very people that marched them in are responsible for the conditions. What kind of games are we playing with this man?" community activist Marcus Coleman asked.

Inmate describes Fulton County Jail conditions to board

DA Willis’ office replied with the following statement:

"This office has eliminated the backlog in unindicted cases inherited from the prior administration. Please be advised when the DA arrived on January 1, 2021 there were over 17,000 cases unindicted ranging from 2014 to present. Today ZERO of those cases exist. All have been properly reviewed and indicted, accused or declined for prosecution based on the evidence.

"It is well documented that in the late fall of 2021 the county classified 16,300 cases as ORCA cases. Those ORCA cases occurred 2014 through late fall of 2021. 10, 122 Defendants were arrested for felonies in 2021. More than 92% of all cases classified as ORCA today have been indicted, accused or declined after review of the cases and the evidence. This number will reach 100% in less than 60 days. Note, this has been done while we continue to work on and review incoming cases.

"As a matter of policy, DA Willis asked for and received from Fulton’s Superior Court judges permission for the first time in history to operate two indicting grand juries simultaneously. That means rather than one grand jury considering cases for indictment two days per week, there are now two grand juries meeting every week, allowing us to indict cases four days per week. The only reason we don’t meet on a fifth day is because the Superior Court Clerk needs time to catch up with processing indictments. That doubling of grand jury capacity has been in place since March 2021. This office now also has the first pre-indictment diversion program in Fulton County history, allowing us to refer cases for diversion before indictment and allow those deserving of a second chance to enter a diversionary program without the scarlet letter of a felony indictment on their record.

"We do not indict anyone unless and until sufficient evidence has been obtained by law enforcement to prove charges beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. Indictment by this office and whether a judge grants bond to someone arrested by the police are completely unrelated to each other, so any claim that that the speed of someone’s indictment and their bond status are related is false. Whether someone is indicted or not has nothing to do with if they are in jail or not. Let me repeat that for you. Indictment status in no way determines if someone gets a bond. In fact if you are not indicted in 90 days you are guaranteed a bond, so an argument that someone is being held because they are unindicted is necessarily false as a matter of law. People are given high bonds or no bonds based on the crimes they are accused and their status as dangerous and often repeat offenders. Those bonds are set by the judges that see the defendants after they are arrested and taken to the jail by police officers.

"This office does not prosecute misdemeanors, so our office has nothing to do with those cases.

"Further, this office prosecutes all cases where the evidence can prove felony charges and justice demands accountability. We will not apologize for our efforts to seek justice and hold accountable anyone, regardless of their socioeconomic statues, who victimizes the people of Fulton County."

Attorneys for Walker have given the county 30 days to respond to their complaint.

Are inmates safe at the Fulton County Jail?

A deadly series of stabbings at the Fulton County Jail is once again amplifying concerns about inmate safety. A Department of Justice investigation into the inmate deaths at the jail is underway.

Fulton County Jail in crisis

The jail, which opened in 1989, held more than 3,200 people earlier this year — well above its capacity of roughly 2,700.

Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts has turned to the Atlanta City Council for help battling the overcrowding that officials say is to blame for inmates living in inhumane conditions.

This year alone, 10 inmates have died at the jail. In a five-week span, there have been a reported six deaths - the last being a 24-year-old inmate who was found unresponsive in his cell on Aug. 31.

After the last death, Pitts called the situation at the jail a "crisis and an emergency."

The Fulton County Jail remains under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The federal agency opened a civil rights investigation into conditions at the jail, with officials citing violence, filthy conditions and the death last year of Lashawn Thompson, whose body was found covered in insects. An independent autopsy done at his family’s request found he died from severe neglect. His family has since reached a settlement with the county.

The deplorable conditions of the Fulton County Jail

What former President Donald Trump and the other election defendants experienced at the Fulton County Jail is altogether different than a typical arrest. Even when individuals turn themselves in, they often will have an overnight stay. FOX 5 has reported extensively about everyday jail conditions, and a family member of one inmate spoke out.

Dayvion Blake, 23, was stabbed to death and four others were stabbed and injured during a fight at the jail on Aug. 31. Samuel Lawrence, 34, died Aug. 26 at Grady Memorial Hospital after he was found unresponsive in his cell at the jail. The other three people who died in the last month include 66-year-old Alexander Hawkins, 34-year-old Christopher Smith and 40-year-old Montay Stinson.

On Wednesday, Fulton County leaders debated over a plan to transfer hundreds of inmates to facilities in and outside of Georgia.

A Fulton County Jail inmate also spoke during the meeting, describing the deteriorating conditions at the jail.

"The walls are crumbling down and inmates are creating shanks out of the wall. So, you can go inside of the wall and get you a knife. You can go into your light and fix yourself up something to stab somebody next to you," the inmate explained.

Attorneys with the Fulton County Public Defender's Office have filed an emergency petition to prevent the transfers, saying that it would significant difficulties in providing them with legal representation.