Fulton County Jail faces scrutiny after fifth death this year
A Georgia inmate who was found unresponsive in a medical unit cell at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta later died at a hospital, authorities said on Saturday. The jail is currently under federal investigation for dozens of prisoner deaths in the past few years.
The inmate, identified as Christopher Smith, 34, was discovered by a detention officer on Thursday. Medical personnel resuscitated him and transported him to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, according to the sheriff’s office.
The county’s Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death, authorities said. Smith had been in custody since Oct. 6, 2019. He was being held without bond on several unspecified felony and misdemeanor charges, the sheriff’s office said.
Smith’s death is the fifth in Fulton County custody this year. The jail has been facing scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, which opened an investigation of the facility in April, citing Lashawn Thompson’s death in September 2022 as one of dozens in the jail during the past few years.
Lashawn Thompson died in a bedbug-infested cell
Thompson, 35, died in a bedbug-infested cell in the jail’s psychiatric wing, drawing national public attention. He had been arrested for allegedly stealing a car and was awaiting trial. He suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had stopped taking his medication, according to his family.
Thompson’s family filed a lawsuit against the county, alleging that he was denied adequate medical care and subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. The lawsuit claimed that Thompson was bitten by bedbugs, developed a severe infection, and suffered from septic shock. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The county reached a settlement with Thompson’s family earlier this month, agreeing to pay $1 million and implement reforms at the jail. The settlement also required the county to hire an independent monitor to oversee the jail’s compliance with federal standards.
Fulton County Jail has a history of problems
The Fulton County Jail has a long history of problems, including overcrowding, understaffing, poor sanitation, inadequate health care, and violence. The jail has been under federal oversight since 2006, when it entered into a consent decree with the Justice Department to address civil rights violations.
However, the jail has failed to meet many of the requirements of the consent decree, such as reducing the inmate population, increasing the number of guards, improving mental health services, and eliminating contraband. The Justice Department has repeatedly threatened to sue the county for contempt of court for its noncompliance.
In April, as part of the reaction to Thompson’s death, county commissioners approved $5.3 million in extra jail funding for inmate health tracking, cameras and other upgrades. The county also hired a new jail administrator and increased the salaries of detention officers.
The county has said that it is committed to improving the conditions at the jail and cooperating with the federal investigation. However, some advocates and inmates have expressed skepticism and frustration over the slow pace of change and the continued loss of lives.
