A few months after her release from federal prison in 2017, Charlotte Garnes finally found a job that renewed her sense of purpose and allowed her to rebuild her life. But when her employer found out about her conviction, she was fired immediately. For 11 months, Garnes had been working with job centers that provide […]
Madeline Thigpen
Madeline Thigpen is Capital B Atlanta's criminal justice reporter.
Posted inCommunity, Politics & Policy
Fear Has Become Part of Daily Life for Many Haitian Immigrants in Metro Atlanta
When Ten Georges left Haiti for the United States in 2023, large portions of the country — including his hometown of Port-au-Prince — were under the control of armed gangs that were constantly trying to recruit or kill anyone who stood in their way. (Georges asked to be identified by a nickname instead of his […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Haitians in Metro Atlanta Frightened as U.S. Begins Immigrant Deportations
Enjyvely Senatus said his father’s Georgia restaurant has seen a major decline in business in the weeks since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants. “Both deliveries and walk-ins have been pretty much cut in half,” Senatus said. His father opened Manje Lakay Haitian Restaurant about […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
After 20 Years in Prison, Georgia Father Convicted in Death of Infant Son Granted Bond
Latasha Pyatt was jubilant outside a Gwinnett County courtroom Tuesday just moments after learning her fiancé, Danyel Smith, would be released on bond after 24 years in jail. In 2003, Smith was found guilty of murdering his infant son Chandler. The conviction was based on medical experts’ diagnosis that the baby’s death was a result […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Two Black Comedians Challenged Police Stops at Atlanta’s Airport and Won
“I felt completely powerless. I felt violated. “I felt cornered.” Those were the words comedian Clayton English shared about his experience when plainclothes officers searched his bag at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in October 2020. They also asked if he had any cocaine or meth on him. Now, thanks to a lawsuit filed by […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs
Spelman’s New President Says Black Women Must Help Decide What Technology Becomes
On Wednesday, Ayanna Howard and the 650 freshmen in the Class of 2030 will begin their first semester at Spelman College. When Howard was appointed the 12th president earlier this summer, she became the first scientist and engineer to lead the 145-year-old liberal arts college. “This is a legacy and this is a calling,” Howard […]
Posted inCourts, Juvenile Justice
DeKalb County Offers Teens an Alternative to Incarceration and a Criminal Record
Mason was pulling out of a parking lot not far from home this spring when he got stopped by a Stone Mountain police officer on suspicion of driving without his headlights on. The officer then searched the car and discovered a small bag of marijuana. But instead of being thrown in jail, the 17-year-old was […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Teen Arrested in Connection With Fatal Piedmont Park Shooting
Atlanta Police have announced the first arrest made in connection with the fatal 404 day shooting of 16-year-old Tianah Robinson in Piedmont Park four months ago. The accused, 17-year-old Kaine Burnette, surrendered himself to Fulton County Jail on July 30. The following day, the county solicitor’s office charged him with three misdemeanors: reckless conduct, discharging […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Voting
Amid Attacks on Voting Rights, Atlanta Remembers John Lewis
As Black voters face a new wave of attacks on their right to cast ballots, the legacy of U.S. Rep. John Lewis serves as a source of inspiration for community organizers who are fighting back. On July 17, the sixth anniversary of the civil rights icon’s passing, Women on the Rise led a group of […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Tyler Perry Offers Funeral Support to Nolan Wells’ Family Amid Investigation
Inspired by a loss in his own family, Tyler Perry said he will cover funeral costs for the family of Nolan Xavier Wells, the 18-year-old student athlete found dead off the Mississippi Gulf Coast after a boat trip with a group of white friends. According to authorities, Wells was last seen July 4, around 3 […]
