Ten years ago, Brandon “Brannu” Fulton bought 27 acres of land for $150,000 on the corner of Butner Road and Camp Creek Parkway in what was then unincorporated Fulton County. He wanted a space where he could spend his days in nature and ride horses. Fulton, 44, credits his grandfather with introducing him to horseback […]
Madeline Thigpen
Madeline Thigpen is Capital B Atlanta's criminal justice reporter.
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
2025 Atlanta Election Guide: Key Races and Candidates to Watch
As Election Day nears, local candidates are making their final push in what has been a monthslong campaign season. Data from the Georgia secretary of state’s office showed 13.4% voter turnout for all active registered voters and 12% turnout for Black voters during the early voting period, which ended Oct 31. This year, Capital B […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Off-Duty Police Officer Who Shot Atlanta Rapper Had Disciplinary History
Outside a Buckhead bar on the night of Oct. 11, Linton Blackwell was shot and killed by Gerald Walker, an off-duty Atlanta police officer. Since the shooting, Blackwell’s family and friends have been trying to piece together what happened the night the father of twin girls was killed and why the officer decided to use […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
How African Immigrants in Georgia Are Turning Solidarity Into Political Power
As attacks on immigrant communities continue to ramp up under the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, Nnamdi Ihenacho is determined to combat fear by empowering his fellow immigrants with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed in the United States. Since Ihenacho, a Nigerian immigrant, founded the African Immigrant (AIM) Collective last May, they […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Incarceration
Slow Courts and Not Enough Public Defenders. What is Fulton County Doing?
For two years, during the height of the pandemic, Nikita Thomas sat in a Fulton County jail cell in Union City trying to stay hopeful that she wouldn’t spend the rest of her life in prison. “You tend to lose hope regardless of how much you pray,” Thomas told Capital B Atlanta. “You start to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
17 Shots: Witness Describes Shooting of Atlanta Rapper by Off-Duty Police Officer
Linton Blackwell, a 44-year-old father and local rapper who was killed earlier this month by an off-duty Atlanta police officer, had approximately 17 gunshot wounds, according to the autopsy report created by a Fulton County medical examiner. The report documented two bullet wounds in the right upper back, one in the buttocks and 14 in […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Family Questions Police Account of Fatal Buckhead Shooting by Off-Duty Officer
At a balloon release in DeKalb Memorial Park last week, dozens of friends and family members gathered to remember Linton Blackwell, a man they said would do anything for his family, especially his twin daughters. “He’s an angel gone too soon, but he will watch over us,” Faith Harper, his aunt, told Capital B Atlanta […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Atlanta’s ‘No Kings’ Protest Draws Thousands of Marchers
Atlanta’s No Kings rally drew thousands of residents on Saturday in opposition to the Trump administration’s agenda and perceived authoritarianism. One of dozens of protests held across the country, the crowd of an estimated 10,000 people first met at the Atlanta Civic Center, where they heard from speakers including Democrats Stacey Abrams and U.S. Sen. […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
After 22 Years Behind Bars, a Georgia Man’s Fight for a New Trial Isn’t Over
After spending over 20 years incarcerated for a crime he says he didn’t commit, Danyel Smith had hoped to celebrate his first Thanksgiving at home this November. However, despite a recent victory at the Supreme Court of Georgia, it is likely he will remain incarcerated for the rest of the year. “I jokingly told him […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
A Woman With Mental Disabilities Is on Life Support After Fulton Jail Attack
An Atlanta family is seeking answers after a brutal attack inside the Fulton County Jail left a 20-year-old woman on life support at Grady Hospital. Tyriana Ledbetter had been incarcerated in Fulton County since late May on multiple charges including armed robbery and aggravated assault. According to a statement from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, […]