July 14th 2023.
The death of Noni Battiste-Kosoko, a 19-year-old inmate at the Atlanta City Detention Center in Fulton County, Georgia, has sparked a new flurry of questions. Battiste-Kosoko was being held for a misdemeanor bench warrant since May 2, with her bond initially set at $2,000. However, after new charges came out of of Miami-Dade County, Florida, she was held without bond.
On July 11, 2023, detention center officials found her unresponsive during dinner rounds around 6:30 p.m. There were no obvious signs of injury, and the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to perform an autopsy.
The death of Battiste-Kosoko comes in the wake of another tragedy that occurred at the Fulton County Jail. In April, Lashawn Thompson, an inmate arrested in June 2022 for a misdemeanor simple battery charge, was found dead in his cell. He had been placed in the psychiatric wing due to mental health issues. According to Michael Harper, the family's attorney, Thompson was "eaten alive by insects and bed bugs."
In response to these tragedies, the Department of Justice has launched a civil investigation into conditions at Fulton County Jail. This investigation will look into the living conditions, access to medical and mental health care, history of conditions, use of force, and more. It will also focus on whether Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office discriminate against persons with psychiatric disabilities inside the jail.
United States Attorney General Merrick Garland commented, “People in prisons and jails are entitled to basic protections of their civil rights. During this comprehensive review of the conditions of confinement at the Fulton County Jail, the Justice Department will determine whether systemic violations of federal laws exist, and if so, how to correct them.”
The death of Noni Battiste-Kosoko has once again highlighted a history of disregard for Black life. It is now the responsibility of the Department of Justice to ensure that all inmates in the Fulton County Jail are given their basic rights and protections under the law.
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