Fulton County Jail Officials Resign After Inmate Found ‘Eaten Alive’ In Jail Cell

Officials from the Fulton County Jail in Georgia have stepped down after a prisoner was “eaten alive.”

CNN reported the chief jailer and two assistant chief jailers submitted resignations at the request of Sheriff Patrick “Pat” Labat, who released a statement saying it was time to “clean house.”

“It’s clear to me that it’s time, past time, to clean house,” Labat said. The prisoner, Lashawn Thompson, died in his jail cell due to unbelievably unsanitary conditions, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported. Fulton County prison officials are now being investigated.

Attorneys representing the Thompson family said the cell conditions were inhumane. “The cell he was in was not fit for a diseased animal,” Michael Harper, the family attorney said. “This is inexcusable and it’s deplorable.”

Labat said in a statement that the officials, who remain unnamed, were asked for their resignations after reviewing preliminary evidence gathered during the internal investigation. “Collectively, the executive team that’s been in place has more than 65 years of jail administration and law enforcement experience,” the statement said.

“When leveraged at its very best, that experience can be invaluable. However, it can also lend itself to complacency, stagnation & settling for the status quo.”

Thompson was arrested in June 2022 for a misdemeanor simple battery charge, according to CBS News, and was placed in the psychiatric wing due to mental health issues. Three months later, he “was found dead in a filthy jail cell after being eaten alive by insects and bed bugs.” Thompson’s brother, Brad McCrae, saw pictures and compared them to images of Emmett Till. “It was heartbreaking because nobody should be seen like that. Nobody should see that. But the first thing that entered my mind was Emmett Till.”

A Fulton County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said a full investigation has been launched. “The ongoing investigation is examining details regarding the medical care provided and ultimately will determine whether any criminal charges are warranted in this case,” the spokesperson said.