On the first Father’s Day since losing his 17-year-old son, Kenneth Collier Sr. said he plans to surround himself with family and love on what he knows will be a difficult day. “Kenn’s mom was murdered when he was 10, so after that I was raising him as a single dad,” Collier said about his […]
Madeline Thigpen
Madeline Thigpen is Capital B Atlanta's criminal justice reporter.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Amid ICE Sweeps and Travel Bans, Here’s How to Support Black Immigrants in Atlanta
While non-Black Latino immigrants became the focus of many of the protests held in cities across the country in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions this week, Atlanta’s Black immigrant community — the fourth largest in the country — is refusing to take a back seat. Pew Research estimates around 200,000 Black immigrants, mostly […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration, Policing
Atlanta Police Asked for a Diversion Option for Low-Level Arrests. They Rarely Use It.
When local officials first opened the Center for Diversion and Services, they touted its potential to divert nearly 15,000 bookings each year that would otherwise enter Fulton County jails or police custody at Grady Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric unit. “This more community-based approach is essential for creating a more effective and compassionate public safety ecosystem,” Atlanta […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
Fani Willis Responds to Critics after YSL Trial Ends with Zero Murder Convictions
After coming under fire for not securing any murder convictions in the YSL RICO case, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis stood her ground on the overall effectiveness of her team on Thursday. “Crime is down,” Willis said during an interview with 11Alive in the lobby of Atlanta City Hall. “What my constituents say, who […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
Overcrowded, Understaffed and Unsafe: One Woman’s Night in Atlanta’s City Jail
Dominique Grant said she was in the middle of a mental health crisis when she was pulled over driving on Moreland Avenue by a Georgia State Trooper the Friday before Mother’s Day. Arrested under suspicion of DUI, the 32-year-old mother was booked into the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) around 11 p.m. that night. Grant […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
State NAACP Calls for Appeal in Fatal Atlanta Police Shooting After Judge Drops Charges
Jimmy Hill is determined to continue his fight for justice after a federal judge decided Tuesday to drop the charges against retired Atlanta police officer Sung Kim, who shot and killed his son Jimmy Atchison in 2019. “Change ain’t going to come if we sit back and wait on others,” Hill told Capital B Atlanta […]
Posted inIncarceration
Two Deaths at Fulton Jail Raise More Questions about Safety and Oversight
Last fall, the Department of Justice released a scathing 97-page report detailing the constitutional and human rights violations that have led to in-custody deaths and abuses in the Fulton County jail. As a result, Fulton County entered into a consent decree earlier this year with the Justice Department to address the many staffing, overcrowding and […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
Larry Hoover’s Pardon Puts Spotlight on Atlanta’s Own Gangster Disciples History
The news of Larry Hoover’s pardon by President Donald Trump on Wednesday cast a shadow over Atlanta’s own history with the Gangster Disciples. For the past few years, Atlanta’s top elected officials and law enforcement officers have engaged in concerted efforts to combat gang violence and recruitment throughout the city. Their fight may have taken […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
After Fani Willis Drops YSL Murder Charge, Defendant Is Sentenced to 5 Years
One of three remaining YSL trial defendants was sentenced to five years in prison by a Fulton County Superior Court judge Wednesday afternoon. Damekion Garlington was originally facing life in prison if convicted on all charges — including murder and attempted murder — but he entered into an Alford plea with the district attorney’s office […]
Posted inEconomic Justice, Politics & Policy
Atlantans Protest Target on 5-Year Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death
To mark the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, hundreds gathered outside Target’s Conyers location at the behest of prominent local pastor Jamal Bryant. Bryant led protesters in a 9 minute and 29 second prayer, the same amount of time former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck, killing him in […]
