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 […]
Criminal Justice
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 inCourts, Health
Hair Relaxers and Fibroids: Black Woman’s Lawsuit Revived by Georgia Supreme Court
For decades, hair relaxers promoted the creation of sleek styles, but the chemicals may have resulted in long-term health consequences. Now, the Georgia Supreme Court has given at least one woman a shot at holding manufacturers of chemical straighteners accountable. But the legal window for justice is narrow and closing fast. On Oct. 15, the […]
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 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, […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, Public Safety
What Does Public Safety Look Like to You? A City Council Candidate Asks Atlantans.
Creating a climate where people feel safe in their communities can be one of the most difficult tasks an elected official takes on. Public safety is an umbrella term for a network of community, law enforcement and public health officials working together to create that sense of security. This election cycle, both candidates running for […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
HBCU Marching Band Suspended From Homecoming After Alleged Hazing Incident
Many people in attendance for Fort Valley State University’s homecoming over the weekend likely had been looking forward to seeing the school’s storied marching band take the field for another electric halftime performance. But after hazing charges were leveled against members of the band last week, the “Blue Machine” was removed from the weekend’s lineup. […]