According to his family, Lashawn Thompson, 35, became “alive” of bed bugs and insects in Fulton County's prison in Georgia.
Michael D. Harper
The lawyer says that a man was found dead in a Georgia prison cell after he was “eaten alive” by bed bugs and insects.
The 35 -year -old Lashawn Thompson was included in the psychiatric wing of the Fulton County prison due to mental health problems and found dead in a dirty cell in a dirty cell on September 13, 2022, as can be seen from a press release from Harper on April 12 by the Harper law firm.
At the time of his death, Thompon's body was “through a bit,” said his family's lawyer, Michael D. Harper, at a press conference on April 13.
Thompson's family calls for changes that can be made, such as: He also calls for a criminal investigation by Thompson's death.
In a statement that McClatchy News presented on April 14, the Sheriff office of the Fulton County, which monitors the prison, said a “complete investigation” was initiated in Thompson's death and continues.
“First and foremost, the Fulton County's office would like to express condolence from the family of the family (of) Lashawn Thompson,” says the explanation.
When the internal examination has been completed, Sheriff Patrick Labat will ask the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to determine whether a criminal complaint is justified according to the declaration.
“There is no excuse that a mentally ill inmate is left alone in a prison” and “abandoned to die,” said Harper at the conference.
Photos that are shared by Harper show an automated external defibrillator over Thompson's breast and apparently several insects that crawl on it. Additional photos seem to show the interior of the cell, with rusted furniture, dirty soils and garbage that are scattered.
Lahawn Thompson's prison cell according to his family. Michael D. Harper
“It is no secret that the dilapidated and rapidly eroding conditions of (Fulton County prison) make it incredibly difficult to achieve the goal of creating a safe, clean, well -kept and healthy environment for all occupants and employees,” said the Sheriff's office.
“It is fair to say that this is one of many cases that illustrate the desperate need for expanded and better psychological health services,” says the explanation.
Body “affects an enormous number of small insects”
Thompson was instructed to the district prison after, according to the press release, he was arrested on June 12, 2022 for simple battery in Atlanta.
Months after Thompson's death, the medical examiner of Fulton County published an autopsy report in which his cause of death was listed as “indefinite” on January 12th. The report was made available by Harper McClatchy News.
“The body is infected with an enormous number of small insects with a length of 2 mm,” wrote the medical examiner Dr. Michael M. Henener.
In order to summarize the results of the report, he also wrote:
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“No anatomical cause of death.”
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“Extremely serious infestation of insects in harmony with lice.”
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“Pale organs.”
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“Toxicology negative.”
Heniger wrote a severe lice case rarely “clinically significant anemia that cannot be easily diagnosed in autopsy”.
At the time of his death, Thompson also set “serious schizo -affective disorders of bipolar and acute deterioration” in the report.
According to Sheriff's Office, 500,000 US dollars for dealing with the insect infestation of the facility and the “other vermin” were approved in response to Thompson's death.
In addition, over 600 inmates were transferred to other counties to “relieve overcrowding,” said the Sheriff's office.
In the meantime, Harper McClatchy News said that he would like to submit a lawsuit about Thompson's death in the future.
“The prison cell in which Mr. Thompson was housed was not suitable for a sick animal,” says the press release. “He didn't deserve that. Someone has to be held accountable for his death. Fulton County's prison must be closed and replaced.”
This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 4:38 p.m.
Julia Marnin
McClatchy DC
Julia Marnin covers courts for McClatchy news and writes about criminals and civil matters, including cases in which police, corrections, bourgeois freedoms, fraud and violations of power are involved. As a reporter in McClatchy's national real-time team, she also treated the Covid 19 pandemy and a variety of other topics after a scholarship with Newsweek. She was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. She grew up in South Jersey and is now located in the state of New York.
