Protests planned over conditions at Fulton County Jail after DOJ report
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Protesters are planning to rally in Fulton County on Thursday over the conditions at the county jail.
The protests come a week after the U.S. Justice Department released a report calling the condition of the troubled facility on Rice Street "unconstitutional and illegal."
The group, which plans to protest on Thursday morning in front of the Fulton County Courthouse and in front of the jail in the afternoon, is calling for the county to address what it is calling "two pressing issues within the Fulton County justice system."
"We are deeply troubled by the DOJ's findings and what they reveal about the state of the Fulton County Jail," protest organizer Ten Wilkerson told FOX 5. "Furthermore, the introduction of rap lyrics as evidence in the YSL trial raises serious questions about the fairness and integrity of our legal proceedings. We are calling for immediate action and accountability from Fulton County officials."
Department of Justice investigation into Fulton County Jail
The Department of Justice's report was part of a year-long investigation into the living conditions, access to medical and mental health care, and use of force by staff at the jail.
"Our investigation finds longstanding, unconstitutional, unlawful and dangerous conditions that jeopardize the lives and well-being of the people held there," Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said at a news conference announcing the release of the report.
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Officials say they began their investigation following the independent autopsy of 35-year-old Lashawn Thompson after he was found inside the jail in 2022.
Thompson, who had been held on a simple battery charge, was found slumped over in his cell after months in custody, with a medical examiner describing his malnourished body as infested with lice, ultimately concluding he was "neglected to death." His death, along with three others in the same mental health unit over the course of a year, made local and national headlines and brought attention to the jail.
READ MORE ABOUT THE DOJ'S REPORT
In 2023, the DOJ said it identified 313 stabbings and more than 1,000 assaults inside the jail, which currently houses around 2,000 people. That rate was 1.5 times the rate of stabbings in the New York City Jails and more than 27 times the rate of all incidents involving an edged weapon in the Miami-Dade County Jails. In the first 9 months of 2023, there were over 200 emergency transports of incarcerated people to an outside hospital for injuries from assaults.
"We cannot turn a blind eye to the inhumane, violent and hazardous conditions that people are subjected to inside the Fulton County Jail," Clarke said. "Detention in the Fulton County Jail has amounted to a death sentence for dozens of people who have been murdered or who’ve died as a result of the atrocious conditions inside the facility."
The report claimed that jail staff members abused their power and accused them of unfairly deploying stun guns on inmates and turning a blind eye when they see injuries or fights.
The federal authorities are threatening to sue if the county doesn't quickly correct the problems.
Fulton County sheriff responds to DOJ report
Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat holds a press conference in response to a United States Department of Justice released on Thursday detailing unconstitutional living conditions, excessive force, and lack of mental health care inside the Fulton County Jail.
Sheriff clashes with Fulton County Board over jail plan
The Fulton County Jail is the responsibility of the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, which is led by Sheriff Patrick "Pat" Labat, who was recently reelected. Fulton County's Board of Commissioners provides funding for the jail and maintains the jail facilities. The county also sets funding levels for the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Labat has acknowledged issues at the jail and has pushed unsuccessfully for a brand-new jail in the past. However, the commissioners voted in July to nix plans for a new $2 billion facility and spend $300 million renovating the existing jail facilities instead.
RELATED: New $2B Fulton County Jail nixed, commissioners approve renovation plan
The sheriff responded by saying that renovating the Fulton County Jail was like putting a Band-Aid on a growing problem. The sheriff acknowledged that the building itself was being weaponized and renovations are not the answer.
Most recently, Sheriff Labat has been seeking to restore overtime pay after a $2 million cut, citing low officer morale and dozens of resignations. That request was denied on Wednesday night by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.