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 […]
Fulton County
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 […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local Politics
Fulton County Denies DA Fani Willis More Funding in 2025 Budget
The Fulton County Board of Commissioners opted against allocating a substantial monetary increase for the county district attorney’s office when finalizing its 2025 fiscal year budget on Wednesday, perhaps bringing a monthslong standoff with DA Fani Willis into its next phase. The board allocated $39.3 million of its nearly $1 billion budget to the DA’s […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Local Politics, Politics & Policy
Fani Willis Threatens to Sue Fulton County Commissioners Over Budget
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis issued a seven-page letter to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners last month threatening to sue if her office is not sufficiently funded in 2025. Through an open records request, Capital B Atlanta obtained documents Willis’ office sent to the Board of Commissioners on Dec. 11 in response to […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Revived Fani Willis Probe Is ‘a Complete Waste of Time,’ Democrats Say
Georgia Democrats were caught off guard Monday during the first day of legislative session when state Senate Republicans voted to reopen their investigation into alleged misdeeds committed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis during her 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump. Sen. Harold Jones, D-Augusta, said day one of the General Assembly’s annual […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Young Thug Is Free, but the YSL Trial Rages On
Young Thug accepted a plea deal last month in what has become the longest criminal trial in Georgia history — but the YSL case is not yet done. Pre-trial hearings began this week for the four remaining defendants in a controversial case that has fascinated people locally and beyond due to its duration, various hiccups, and […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
How to Request Body Camera Footage from Atlanta Police
After Atlanta police officer Marquee Kelley fatally shot local activist Oscar Cain Jr. in the back in March 2019 — with his dashboard and body cameras turned off — the department sought ways to bring more transparency and accountability to policing in the city. The Atlanta Police Department had first deployed body cameras in 2016, however a […]
Posted inCourts, Incarceration
Overcrowded and Deadly: Fulton Jail Inmates Left Vulnerable as Aid Ends
Stanlecia Johnson is still dealing with the fallout of a brief stint in jail nearly six months ago, an ordeal that threw her life into disarray. The grandmother of four was brought to Fulton County Jail after being arrested for aggravated assault in May. Unable to post bail, she was held in jail for two […]
