Sixth prisoner dies within five weeks at jail where Donald Trump was arrested
A sixth inmate has died in the space of five weeks in the notorious jail where was arrested.
This brings the total death toll for 2023 in Fulton County Jail, Georgia, to ten people. Local authorities have branded the situation a "crisis and emergency."
The latest person to die in the jail, Shawndre Delmore, 24, was found unresponsive during a routine check at 8.19pm on Thursday August 31, jail staff have said. They claim he was rushed to hospital where he remained unresponsive and died on Sunday September 3.
He had been arrested by Atlanta Police Department for Burglary in the Second Degree and Willful Obstruction of Law Enforcement Officers. Although he had been charged he had not been convicted of these crimes. He was being held on a $2,500 bond which he was unable to pay.
Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed another inmate has died (WSB-TV)Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts told FOX5: "We have a crisis and emergency in our jail."
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Last week another inmate, Samuel Lawrence was found dead in the jail, days after he pleaded for federal help.
Fallon McClure, deputy director for policy and advocacy for the Georgia American Civil Liberties Union, said: "The majority of the people who have died in custody have been in custody for a significant amount of time and a lot of them on some particularly small charges."
In July the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the jail. It came after the death of inmate Lashawn Thompson, 35, with his family's lawyers saying he was eaten alive by .
Attorneys for the Fulton County Jail, released details of his autopsy results that said he suffered from 'severe neglect' and other grim afflictions that contributed to his death.
Samuel Lawrence was found dead in the jail (WSB-TV)Announcing the review of the jail, a DOJ statement read: “Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information gathered from stakeholders, the Department has found significant justification to open this investigation, including credible allegations that an incarcerated person died covered in insects and filth; that the Fulton County Jail is structurally unsafe; that prevalent violence has resulted in serious injuries and homicides; and that officers are being prosecuted for using excessive force."
Although she is waiting for the outcome of this investigation, Ms McClure said: "all indications point to it being unconstitutional."
She described the problems at the jail as systemic and due to the overcrowding in the jail. She also referred to those stuck there suspected of committing 'lower-level crimes' and are unable to afford their bonds.
Shawndre Delmore died at the prison (Fulton County Sheriff's Office)She said the problem is systemic and due largely to overcrowding at the jail, especially with people there who committed lower-level crimes who cannot not afford their bonds, like Delmore.
"APD needs to use the pre-arrest diversion, the district attorney needs to indict people at 90 days, they can cite and release on misdemeanours," Ms McClure said.
Chairman Pitts is calling on the sheriff to move some inmates to for-profit prisons outside of Atlanta. He said: "We’re now considering proposals from two firms, one within the state of Georgia, another outside of the state [in Mississippi], that can accommodate three, four, 500, up to 700 of our inmates."
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The jail is currently being used to process a number of RICO cases including the 'gang' Young Slime Life, Former-President Trump, and now ‘Stop Cop City’ activists. These types of cases often involve a large number of suspects.
Ms McClure said:"The massive RICO cases are absolutely shutting down and slowing down the system. And they are taking over a courtroom, and that courtroom is essentially shut down."
Mirror has contacted Fulton County Jail and the DOJ for further comment.
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