FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Sheriff Partick Labat says changes are desperately needed at the Fulton County Jail.
“We’re holding people accountable,” said Labat.
Labat asked for the resignation of the chief jailer, assistant chief jailer and assistant jailer over the criminal investigation division. Labat asked for the resignations during an executive staff meeting regarding the death of detainee Lashawn Thompson.
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Thompson’s family says the 35-year-old died in September after he was found dead in a dirty cell. His family claims he was eaten alive by bedbugs. Images show Thompson’s face, mouth and torso covered with insects.
Labat says while this investigation is ongoing, they’re looking into how the cell became infested.
“You can actually come into jail bearing those parasites, but it’s still our responsibility to help from that perspective,” he said.
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Labat has been vocal about dire conditions at the jail since getting elected in 2020. The sheriff says he only received $143 million from a requested $211 million needed for jail improvements.
“So, you’re talking about 60 million dollars short in what we predicted in terms of how we can do a better job,” he said.
The sheriff’s office says two investigations are underway. One is being conducted by the Fulton County Internal Affairs Office and the other is done by the Atlanta Police Department.
Thompson was booked into the Fulton County Jail on a simple misdemeanor simple battery charge.
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His family, alongside their attorney and Benjamin Crump, will be holding a news conference Thursday afternoon at the Fulton County Jail.
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