A young Georgia couple thought they already experienced the worst pain imaginable when they lost their first child, Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr., who died during delivery in 2023. The delivery of the couple’s son made headlines across the country after it was revealed that the baby was decapitated during delivery. Then Dr. Jackson Gates, the […]
Fulton County
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration, Policing
Atlanta Police Asked for a Diversion Option for Low-Level Arrests. They Rarely Use It.
When local officials first opened the Center for Diversion and Services, they touted its potential to divert nearly 15,000 bookings each year that would otherwise enter Fulton County jails or police custody at Grady Memorial Hospital’s psychiatric unit. “This more community-based approach is essential for creating a more effective and compassionate public safety ecosystem,” Atlanta […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
Fani Willis Responds to Critics after YSL Trial Ends with Zero Murder Convictions
After coming under fire for not securing any murder convictions in the YSL RICO case, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis stood her ground on the overall effectiveness of her team on Thursday. “Crime is down,” Willis said during an interview with 11Alive in the lobby of Atlanta City Hall. “What my constituents say, who […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
Overcrowded, Understaffed and Unsafe: One Woman’s Night in Atlanta’s City Jail
Dominique Grant said she was in the middle of a mental health crisis when she was pulled over driving on Moreland Avenue by a Georgia State Trooper the Friday before Mother’s Day. Arrested under suspicion of DUI, the 32-year-old mother was booked into the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) around 11 p.m. that night. Grant […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
State NAACP Calls for Appeal in Fatal Atlanta Police Shooting After Judge Drops Charges
Jimmy Hill is determined to continue his fight for justice after a federal judge decided Tuesday to drop the charges against retired Atlanta police officer Sung Kim, who shot and killed his son Jimmy Atchison in 2019. “Change ain’t going to come if we sit back and wait on others,” Hill told Capital B Atlanta […]
Posted inIncarceration
Two Deaths at Fulton Jail Raise More Questions about Safety and Oversight
Last fall, the Department of Justice released a scathing 97-page report detailing the constitutional and human rights violations that have led to in-custody deaths and abuses in the Fulton County jail. As a result, Fulton County entered into a consent decree earlier this year with the Justice Department to address the many staffing, overcrowding and […]
Posted inCourts, Criminal Justice
After Fani Willis Drops YSL Murder Charge, Defendant Is Sentenced to 5 Years
One of three remaining YSL trial defendants was sentenced to five years in prison by a Fulton County Superior Court judge Wednesday afternoon. Damekion Garlington was originally facing life in prison if convicted on all charges — including murder and attempted murder — but he entered into an Alford plea with the district attorney’s office […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
The Three Records That Fani Willis’ Office Withheld in Trump Case
Back in 2023, Fani Willis seemed unstoppable. The first-term Fulton County district attorney became a national name after announcing in August of that year her intent to succeed where many before her had failed: holding the then-former President Donald Trump accountable. Willis brought criminal racketeering charges against Trump, alleging that he attempted to alter the […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy, Unsafe Water
Proposed Rollback of Lead Pipe Regulations Threatens Health of Atlanta Communities
Republican lawmakers are seeking to end a Biden administration mandate that local governments and water utilities identify and replace lead pipes nationwide, potentially obstructing efforts being made in metro Atlanta. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) aim to eliminate toxic pipes in the U.S. within the next 10 years. Following this mandate, areas like […]
Posted inHealth
Hookah, Cigarillos May Be Raising Lung Cancer Rates for Fulton’s Black Men
The popularity of hookah lounges, cigar bars, and recreational marijuana may be contributing to higher rates of lung cancer among Black men living in Fulton County, according to recent research outlined by the county’s board of health. Panelists at the Fulton County Board of Health’s “State of Healthcare for African Americans” town hall said on […]