DOJ announces investigation into Fulton County Jail in Georgia – family attorney for man who died at facility said investigation comes too late for Lashawn Thompson

Just a Movie/Getty Images

By The Vanguard Staff

ATLANTA, GA – The announcement by the US Department of Justice later this week that it had opened a civil investigation into conditions at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia comes too late Help Lashawn Thompson, an inmate who died after being held in prison for three months, family attorney Ben Crump said.

Notice one independent autopsy Crump classified Thompson’s death as a homicide from “grievous neglect” and said he hopes the investigation “confirms the clear pattern of negligence and abuse that is happening in Fulton County and ends it quickly so that no other family suffers this devastation.” must.”

“While nothing can undo the injustice Lashawn Thompson has faced, it is a tragedy that can hopefully lead to much-needed changes in the Fulton County Jail,” added Crump.

The DOJ said: “Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information gathered by stakeholders, the Department has found significant justifications for initiating this investigation, including credible claims that a detained person died covered in insects and dirt,” he said Fulton County Jail “is structurally uncertain that the prevailing violence has resulted in serious injuries and homicides and that officers will be prosecuted for excessive use of force.”

The DOJ stated that the investigation “will examine living conditions, medical and mental health care, the use of excessive force, and protections against violence.” The investigation will also examine whether Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office discriminate against individuals with mental disabilities in prison.”

US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: “We opened this investigation in the Fulton County Jail based on serious allegations of unsafe, unsanitary living conditions in the jail, excessive violence and violence inside the jail, discrimination against inmates with mental health problems. and failure to provide adequate medical care to those in detention.”

Garland added, “People in jails and jails are entitled to basic protections for their civil rights.” As part of this comprehensive review of Fulton County jail conditions, the Department of Justice will determine whether there are systematic violations of federal law and, if so, how can be remedied.”

“The unconstitutional conditions that we see all too often in jails and jails have no place in today’s society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Clarke added, “We are initiating this investigation to determine whether Fulton County’s treatment of people in prison meets constitutional standards. We are committed to ensuring that prisons and prison facilities provide constitutional conditions where all people can live safely and receive medical care. Detention should never include exposure to unconstitutional living conditions, including threats of serious harm from violence.”

“All Georgians deserve fairness from the institutions that serve us, including our local prisons,” said US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan K. Buchanan.

Buchanan noted, “The recent allegations of filthy homes infested with insects, rampant violence resulting in deaths and injuries, and excessive use of force by officials are of grave concern and warrant a thorough investigation.” This investigation is part of our ongoing effort to ensure citizens are safe and their constitutional rights are protected, even while in detention.”

The DOJ said it had “reached no conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter.” The investigation is being conducted in accordance with the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Both laws give the department the power to investigate systematic violations of the rights of individuals incarcerated in correctional facilities.”