Mayor Andre Dickens’ proposal to invest $60 million into affordable housing seeks to address Atlanta’s ongoing housing crisis by building 700 new affordable units by the end of 2025. “This would be the single largest investment in homelessness in Atlanta’s history,” Dickens said Tuesday at a Woodruff Park press conference. Despite average rent prices declining […]
Madeline Thigpen
Madeline Thigpen is Capital B Atlanta's criminal justice reporter.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
Project 2025: How a Conservative Justice Department Could Affect Georgia
Former President Donald Trump doesn’t hide his desire for revenge against prosecutors he considers his political enemies for bringing criminal charges against him. But how could a reelected Trump use the legal system against those perceived enemies? Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation’s policy agenda for the next Republican presidency, provides a road map — […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
‘Cop City’ Judge Calls Mishandled Evidence by State AG ‘Gross Negligence’
Prosecutors from the state attorney general’s office got a tongue-lashing from Fulton Superior Court Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams on Wednesday for saying it was a mistake that they mishandled privileged attorney-client emails that were collected as evidence in the case against activists opposed to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, also known as “Cop City.” […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
Kamala Harris’ ‘Top Cop’ Legacy Is Complicated
Five years ago, when Kamala Harris was running for president, she labeled herself the “top cop” and “progressive prosecutor” that was “tough on crime.” With that came backlash from some criminal justice reform advocates and even those in law enforcement. In 2024, it’s unclear where she stands ideologically as vice president. Yet in her first […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Why Did Robert Powell Die After He Was Arrested for Shoplifting?
The family of Robert Powell, who died in police custody in Forsyth County earlier this year, is still waiting to figure out what happened to him after his listed cause of death left them with more questions than answers. “His official cause of death has been ruled a sudden death associated with sickle cell trait,” […]
Posted inIncarceration
Renovating Fulton County Jail Isn’t Enough, Sheriff Says
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 […]
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 […]
