Atlanta mother, human rights coalition demand answers after prisoner murdered in Ga. state prison

CALHOUN COUNTY, Ga. — The Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia is putting the spotlight on a murder inside a state prison.

Martel Dorsey, 32 of Atlanta, was serving time at Calhoun State Prison when the coalition’s Deputy Director Susan Sparks Burns said a group of inmates stabbed him to death on Nov. 24.

Sparks Burns said staff never came to help. Instead, she said fellow prisoners had to step in to transport Dorsey to the medical office.

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“He had laid there 20 minutes, at least that, and then they took a food cart, that they get their Styrofoam packed food in, and transported him to medical,” said Sparks Burns.

Sparks Burns said the reports began pouring into her office from inmates who said they’d witnessed the attack and prison response.

Dorsey’s mother, Eutha Dorsey, said she wants evidence confirming how the prison responded to her son’s attack.

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“I want to know why? What happened? Where’s the video?” said Dorsey.

The Georgia Department of Corrections said her son was serving time connected to shoplifting and entering auto charges in Walton and Coweta Counties. Records show he was there eight days when he died.

His family points out the state has a duty to keep inmates safe.

His mother, heartbroken, said he was a father, an uncle, son and brother. He was supposed to come home before Christmas.

Channel 2 Action News requested video, incident and supplemental reports from DOC under the Freedom of Information Act. The department said it cannot provide the video because the investigation is ongoing. Our team is waiting for incident reports.

The Department of Corrections Spokesperson Lori Benoit wrote, “Staff witnessed inmate Dorsey run out for the dorm as he was being chased by several other inmates. They immediately went to Dorsey and began rendering aid and called EMS.”

Benoit said it is possible that 20 minutes passed from the time deputies saw Dorsey until medics transported him, but she said he did not lay unnoticed for 20 minutes.

We have asked for the names and charges of inmates connected to Dorsey’s murder.

The DOC said that is part of the ongoing investigation and it is unable to disclose that at this time.

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