Buck William Aldridge, the sergeant with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office accused of turning a routine traffic stop in 2023 into a deadly altercation that killed 53-year-old Leonard Cure, has been indicted on civil rights violations by a federal grand jury. Just three years before he was killed, Cure, a client of the Innocence Project […]
Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration, Politics & Policy
Largest ICE Facility Planned at Georgia Private Prison With Deadly Record
While much of the outrage over the rising number of immigration detention facilities is focused on Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz,” Georgia is quietly working on building the largest ICE facility in the country, thanks to the passage of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” Charlton County, located 10 miles from the Florida border and 274 miles […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Policing
Fani Willis Defends Her Record on Police Brutality Cases
Last week, as we conducted our interview with District Attorney Fani Willis, three grieving families were awaiting news from her office related to their loved ones’ deaths at the hands of Atlanta police officers. This week, the family of Deacon Johnny Hollman finally got their answer: A Fulton County grand jury has declined to bring […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Public Safety
After Mass Shooting, Atlanta Launches New Safety Measures in Sweet Auburn
Last Monday, a mass shooting on Edgewood Avenue left 11 people injured, one man dead, and Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood reeling. In response to increased pressure from the neighborhood planning unit, the city on Aug. 4 released its Coordinated Safety & Compliance Measures on Edgewood Avenue plan with a list of actions to address safety […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice, Incarceration
Fani Willis Calls Commissioners ‘Liars’ in Jail Funds Fight
As you walk into District Attorney Fani Willis’ office, housed on the third floor of Fulton County Courthouse, you’re greeted by a Malcolm X quote posted along the hallway. “I’m for truth no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.” But she’s faced several tests on her ability […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Garrett Rolfe, Who Shot Rayshard Brooks in 2020, Is Charged in a Bar Fight
Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe — who first made headlines in 2020 when he shot and killed Rayshard Brooks — is now being charged with simple battery after a violent altercation with an employee at X Midtown club last month. In a 911 call released a few days after the incident in June, club employee […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Atlanta Mass Shooting Highlights Need for More Violence Intervention Work
A mass shooting on Edgewood Avenue early Monday morning left Atlanta reeling and increased calls for more violence intervention work from grassroots organizations working in schools and neighborhoods across the city. At 1:27 a.m. Monday, Atlanta police received reports that multiple people were shot near the Edgewood at Hilliard streetcar station in Sweet Auburn, according […]
Posted inCourts, Policing, Public Safety
DA Doesn’t Appeal Judge’s Decision to Drop Charges Against Cop Who Killed Jimmy Atchison
An Atlanta father isn’t giving up after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis did not appeal a federal judge’s ruling to dismiss the charges against the police officer who killed his son. Jimmy Hill said he is disappointed, but not surprised by the decision. On Jan. 22, 2019, Hill’s 21-year-old son, Jimmy Atchison, was shot […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
APD Must Now Report All Deadly Force to Citizen Review Board
Last week, Atlanta officials celebrated an agreement between the police department and the Atlanta Citizen Review Board to increase civilian oversight over the agency. In a statement, Mayor Andre Dickens described the agreement as a step toward rebuilding trust between the government and the people it serves. Tiffany Roberts, co-founder of Building Locally to Organize […]
Posted inPublic Safety, Transportation
State Investigation Finds Missing Belts As A Cause Of Escalator Collapse After Beyoncé Concert
After an escalator malfunction left at least 24 people injured at a MARTA station following a Beyoncé concert earlier this month, a state investigation found that missing parts on the escalator and an overload of passengers were the likely causes of the accident. On July 15, as people were leaving Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Beyoncé’s final […]