Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat remains adamant that the county must build a new jail despite the Board of Commissioners’ vote Wednesday to approve a $300 million renovation plan, which he described as “smoke and mirrors.” Labat called a press conference Friday morning to address his disappointment with the vote and to call on the […]
Madeline Thigpen
Madeline Thigpen is Capital B Atlanta's criminal justice reporter.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
With Bail Funds Safe for Now, ACLU Expands Its Fight
After a federal judge temporarily blocked implementation of part of a restrictive new law that targets bail reform in Georgia, one group that challenged the measure in court now plans to attack its other provisions. The ACLU of Georgia and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law Center won a temporary victory […]
Posted inCourts
Why the Georgia Supreme Court Removed a Black Woman Judge From the Bench
A Douglas County Probate Court judge was removed from the bench on Tuesday by the Georgia Supreme Court. The court immediately removed Christina Peterson from her office and banned her from holding any elected or appointed judicial position in Georgia for the next seven years. Eight of the nine Georgia justices signed onto the opinion; […]
Posted inCapital B ATL Events, Politics & Policy
Capital B’s Black Political Power Tour Lands in ATL Wednesday
It can’t be overstated: The stakes are high for Black Atlantans in the November general election. From three recently passed bills that will change the way Georgians go to the polls, to concerns over inflation, affordable housing, a yawning racial wealth gap, and gun violence, many are wondering how to put it all in context […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Health, Social Welfare
Quavo, Vice President Kamala Harris, Talk Gun Violence as ATL Advocates Seek Help
Atlanta rapper Quavo hosted Vice President Kamala Harris this week to discuss gun violence. And with the 2024 presidential race in full swing, some Atlantans who have been impacted by gun violence are asking what the Biden administration can do to keep guns off the streets and out of the hands of young people. “Everyday […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
Fulton Officials, Activists Debate After New Jail Funding Fails
A new coalition of criminal justice advocates is challenging Fulton County Board of Commissioners on the best way to address the humanitarian and overcrowding crises that have plagued the county jail for decades. The one thing both sides agree on is that there won’t be a brand new jail built at a cost of billions […]
Posted inHousing
Reimagining Bankhead Courts: Former Residents Weigh In
Atlanta Housing has extended the deadline for public input on a project to revitalize Bankhead Courts, a former public housing project in northwest Atlanta that the city demolished in 2011. The agency, which is Georgia’s largest housing authority, said in an announcement last week that the decision to push back the original June 7 deadline […]
Posted inCapital B Atlanta, Criminal Justice
Fulton County Commissioners Vote No on Sales Tax for New Jail
The Fulton County Commission on Wednesday voted 4-2 not to pass a motion that would’ve directed the office of county management to pursue a sales tax to pay for a new jail projected to cost about $2 billion.
Posted inPublic Safety
Should I Call 311 or 911?
Atlanta’s E911 system has faced public scrutiny in recent years for long wait times, but dialing 911 is still the quickest way to get the police or fire department dispatched to your location. While hiring more dispatchers is one part of the solution, the city has also said that non-emergency calls coming to 911 contributed […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
One Year After Her Death, Bre’Asia Powell Is Bringing Atlantans Together
One year after 16-year-old Bre’Asia Powell was shot and killed outside Benjamin E. Mays High School, her West Atlanta community held a peace rally Tuesday in her memory. As a majorette, basketball player, cheerleader, and volleyball player, Powell was well known and liked in her West Atlanta neighborhood, according to family and friends. “I just […]