Jailers indicted in Fulton County inmate's death appear in court
ATLANTA - Several jailers indicted in the death of an inmate in Fulton County appeared in court for arraignment on Wednesday.
Arron Cook, Guito Dela Cruz and Omar Jackson appeared before a judge at the Fulton County Courthouse and entered pleas of not guilty to felony murder charges in the death of Antonio May.
JAILERS INDICTED IN 2018 DEATH OF FULTON COUNTY INMATE
Three others named in the indictment — Kenesia Strowder, William Whitaker and Jason Roache — waived their arraignment and plead not guilty. The jailers face felony murder, aggravated assault and other charges.
Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker said she would recuse herself from the case, since the defendants are Fulton County deputies and she is a Fulton County judge.
"Because these are all Fulton County deputies and the deputies are the ones who protect the courtrooms, and protect the courthouse, and transport people from the jail," said attorney Kimani King, who represents Dela Cruz. "So, I understand the potential conflict there, because there are people that she has dealt with, there are supervisors that she is fond of, people that she has had relationships with in her career in Fulton County."
For three years, no one was charged. Attorneys for May's family credit Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who released a statement in response to the indictment:
"As I promised the people of Fulton County, my staff and I are working through the backlog of cases left by my predecessor involving use of force by law enforcement officers. We presented the results of our investigation of the 2018 death of Antonio May to a Fulton County Grand Jury today, and the grand jury returned an indictment against three current and three former Sheriff’s Deputies for felony murder, aggravated assault, battery, and violation of oath of office.
"It is now the duty of my office to prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury at trial. My staff and I will continue to work to ensure that justice is done in this case."
According to the indictment, Atlanta police arrested 32-year-old Macon resident Antonio May on Sept. 11, 2018, accused of criminal trespassing.
They took him first to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was medically cleared, then on to the jail.
A Fulton County Medical Examiner’s report stated May was masturbating in his cell and a guard asked him to stop, but he refused. The report also stated May tested positive for having ecstasy in his system.
According to the report, six guards assembled at May’s cell to put him in a restraint chair. The report says someone used a stun gun on him twice as well as pepper spray, then put in the shower for decontamination.
Officials with the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said they called the GBI in to investigate immediately.
All of the defendants are free on bond.
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