A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia found that Fulton County officials are failing to take advantage of sustainable solutions to address overcrowding and the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the county jail. The study was published on the heels of major flooding at the jail last weekend. Officials estimated 70,000 gallons […]
Madeline Thigpen
Madeline Thigpen is Capital B Atlanta's criminal justice reporter.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
Family of Rapper Shot 17 Times by Atlanta Officer Demands Accountability
Family and friends of Linton Blackwell took to the podium at City Hall on Monday to express their frustration with the Atlanta City Council over the lack of accountability for police officers who use lethal force. “I want to understand why this officer, Gerald Walker, is not being held accountable for my brother’s death. He […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, HBCUs, Higher Education
After Viral Assault Video, Students Push AUC Leaders for Accountability
There is always a renewed sense of camaraderie as students at Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College return to campus and settle into the new spring semester. However, this year there’s an underlying tension running across the Atlanta University Center. It only takes a mention of the now-viral video of Morehouse student Matthew […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
History of Complaints Against Officer Who Shot Atlanta Rapper Highlights Culture of Tolerance, Critics Say
Atlanta police officer Gerald Walker, who fatally shot rapper Linton Blackwell outside a Buckhead bar on the night of Oct. 11, was already under investigation for another shooting earlier in the year. Walker, who was working an off-duty security job during the October shooting, was on-duty the night of March 26, 2025, when he shot […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Politics & Policy, Social Welfare
Fani Willis Plans to Combat Domestic Violence With $2M Family Justice Center
By the spring of 2027, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis hopes to open a family justice center to serve survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and abuse. Since 2023, Willis has been clear about her vision for creating a hub for survivors to receive counseling, health care, legal advocacy, and other services […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Public Safety
Two Atlanta Mothers Fight for Justice After Deadly Hit-and-Runs Go Unpunished
Valerie Handy-Carey is no closer to finding her daughter Brittany’s killer today than she was when she got the call about her death over three years ago. “My daughter is dead, and nobody has been held accountable,” Handy-Carey told Capital B Atlanta from her home in Columbus, Ohio. A flight attendant for Spirit Airlines, 33-year-old […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Morehouse Student in Viral Assault Video Banned From Campus While awaiting Jury Trial
A Morehouse College student seen in a now-viral video in November allegedly assaulting a female Clark Atlanta University student will only be allowed to attend classes online when the spring semester begins next week. Matthew Gonzales Forestine, 21, is charged with one count each of aggravated assault and terroristic threats and acts. The senior computer […]
Posted inNews
From the World Cup to the Governor’s Race, How 2026 Will Test Black Atlanta’s Future
There’s never a dull moment in Atlanta or Georgia politics, and that reality definitely isn’t changing in 2026: The following is a breakdown of key questions as we head into 2026: Will FIFA World Cup be a boon or bust for Black Atlanta? The most high-profile stage for the world’s most popular sport is expected […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
5 Times Fiery Fani Willis Didn’t Back Down in Contentious Senate Testimony
Dressed in all white, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ appeared defiant and unyielding Wednesday in front of the Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations that had sought to have her testify for over a year. The Republican-led committee is investigating Willis for her conduct during her office’s investigation and criminal case into election interference […]
Posted inCapital B Atlanta, Elections, News, Politics & Policy
LIVE UPDATES: A Defiant Fani Willis Testifies Before Georgia Senate Committee
Atlanta District Attorney Fani Willis is testifying today in front of a Georgia Senate committee regarding the conduct of her office during its investigation into phone calls President Donald Trump made asking Republican officials to overturn the 2020 election results. State lawmakers sought to subpoena Willis for more than a year to discuss her conduct […]