Trump in Trouble as 22 Prisoners Died at Fulton County Jail
The jail faces renewed scrutiny as former President Donald Trump and 18 others indicted in District Attorney Fani Willis’ election
Nik Richie
The jail faces renewed scrutiny as former President Donald Trump and 18 others indicted in District Attorney Fani Willis’ election interference probe are expected to turn themselves in for processing at the facility this week. In 2022, 15 inmates lost their lives inside Fulton County Jail, with seven more succumbing this year.
LaShawn Thompson’s tragic death was just one in a series of disturbing incidents that occurred within Atlanta, Georgia’s Fulton County Jail last year. However, the shocking details surrounding his demise, including being “eaten alive by insects and bedbugs” in a squalid cell, drew attention beyond the county’s borders.
Thompson’s case, which revealed that he succumbed to “dehydration, malnutrition, severe body insect infestation, and untreated decompensated schizophrenia,” led to the resignation of several jail executives. Subsequently, the Department of Justice initiated a comprehensive civil investigation into the facility’s conditions.
The pending processing of Trump and his co-defendants highlights concerns over a perceived two-tiered justice system for white-collar individuals.
The Fulton County Jail, known locally as “Rice Street,” has been plagued by a slew of problems, including overcrowding, inmate deaths, officer-inflicted excessive force, structural deficiencies, lice and scabies outbreaks, and inmate malnourishment. Both the DOJ and various nonprofit watchdog organizations have issued reports detailing these issues.
Public records obtained by the Southern Center for Human Rights revealed that during a September 2022 outbreak, 100% of inmates in a specific unit were affected by lice, scabies, or both. Among the afflicted, 90% were significantly malnourished.
SCHR’s executive director, Terrica Ganzy, expressed her horror at the state of the inmates, stating, “The fact that people held in the custody of Fulton County are so malnourished and ill that they are experiencing muscle wasting commonly seen in people with late-stage cancers is horrifying.”
When Trump arrives at the facility for processing, he is expected to spend a mere few hours inside. This stands in stark contrast to many defendants who endure weeks of incarceration awaiting trial or release on bond.
Regrettably, some inmates have met tragic fates within the jail’s confines. Christopher Smith, 34, passed away after nearly four years of waiting for his trial to commence. Another inmate in a mental health unit was discovered dead with his wrists and ankles bound in October.
Additionally, financial constraints have resulted in deaths behind bars. Alexander Hawkins, 66, died in a medical unit cell while awaiting trial on a shoplifting charge, held on a $5,000 bond.