Nearly two years after the shooting death of 38-year-old Devon Anderson, no criminal charges will be filed by the Fulton County district attorney’s office against Melvin Potter, the off-duty Atlanta police officer who killed the budding musician. Anderson’s mother, Valerie Lans-Anderson, learned of the decision last month. On June 22, she asked the Atlanta City […]
Fulton County
Posted inCity Politics, Criminal Justice, Incarceration
She Avoided Jail and Rebuilt Her Life, but Others May Not Get the Same Chance
Tanesha Door said she doesn’t know where she would be today without the Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative and its case managers helping her to get her life back on track. Door, an Atlanta-native and Grady Hospital baby, moved back to Atlanta in 2018 with her infant son less than a year after leaving the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Public Safety, Sports
Ahead of World Cup, Fulton County Will Stop Jailing People Accused of Low-Level Crimes
With just over two weeks until Atlanta hosts its first FIFA World Cup match, Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat has announced a new policy that could drastically decrease the number of people incarcerated at the city jail. On Tuesday, Labat issued an official order that people arrested for most misdemeanor offenses can no longer be […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Fulton Commission Chair Candidates Trade Jabs in ‘Jeopardy!’-Themed Event
Candidates competing to become the next chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners showcased their knowledge of government operations and issues affecting their constituents on Wednesday during a Jeopardy!-styled event. Incumbent Chair Robb Pitts and two would-be successors — Commissioners Mo Ivory and Marvin Arrington Jr. — showed up for the forum. The event […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration, Policing
World Cup Sparks Fears of Unhoused People Being Jailed
With just over 100 days remaining until Atlanta hosts its first World Cup match, activists and local officials are pushing the city not to repeat the same “cleanup the streets” program that led up to the 1996 Olympic Games. An estimated 30,000 Atlantans were displaced from their homes in the six years prior to the […]
Posted inHousing
Eviction Crisis in Metro Atlanta Disproportionately Impacts Black Residents
Anxious. Annoyed. Angry. Those are just a few of the emotions expressed by the steady stream of Black folks seen walking in and out of the magistrate case information office inside the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta on Tuesday as some desperately sought legal aid before appearing in court for pending eviction cases. Metro Atlanta […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Juvenile Justice
ACLU Report Calls Out Fulton County Jail for Overcrowding and Humanitarian Crisis
A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia found that Fulton County officials are failing to take advantage of sustainable solutions to address overcrowding and the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the county jail. The study was published on the heels of major flooding at the jail last weekend. Officials estimated 70,000 gallons […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Fulton County Commissioner Says Black Votes Are Under Threat
Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett is sounding the alarm for Black voters in Georgia amid calls by President Donald Trump to nationalize elections. Barrett, who announced her run for secretary of state in January, sounded exasperated over the phone last Wednesday shortly after learning the FBI had raided Fulton County’s Election Hub and Operation Center […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
FBI Seizes 2020 Ballots in Surprise Raid of Atlanta Election Office
Confusion swirled outside the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operation Center in Union City on Wednesday as FBI agents executed a search warrant, catching county commissioners and other elected leaders unaware. According to state Sen. Josh McLaurin, who told Capital B Atlanta he was briefed by a county official, the FBI’s Evidence Response Team showed […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Politics & Policy, Social Welfare
Fani Willis Plans to Combat Domestic Violence With $2M Family Justice Center
By the spring of 2027, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis hopes to open a family justice center to serve survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, and abuse. Since 2023, Willis has been clear about her vision for creating a hub for survivors to receive counseling, health care, legal advocacy, and other services […]
