Fatal stabbing at Rice Street is jail’s 26th inmate death since early 2022

Fulton, city leaders decry conditions at ‘dilapidated’ facility.

Elected officials, includ- ing the mayor of Atlanta, are again voicing their concerns over the deteriorating conditions and violence at the Fulton County Jail.

On Thursday evening, an inmate was fatally stabbed by a fellow inmate. He was the second inmate to die while in custody at the Rice Street facility this year, and the 26th since the beginning of 2022.

“My heart goes out to the inmate’s family ... no one should die in jail,” Ful- ton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive inter- view Friday.

The inmate, 37-year-old Leonard Fortner, was killed around 6:25 p.m. Thursday in a day room inside of the housing zone.

A spokesperson for the sheriff ’s office said Edward Cherry, 36, attacked Fort- ner and stabbed him mul- tiple times.

Fortner was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at around 7:40 p.m.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dick- ens released a statement Friday to the AJC saying he is disturbed with the “cri- sis” at the jail and empha- sized that every individual must become a priority in the county.

“Historically, the Fulton County Commission has underfunded quality of life services for inmates, physical and mental health ser- vices for county residents, and people are paying the price — at times, with their lives,” Dickens said.

“Fulton County is respon- sible for keeping their cor- rections facilities safe and sanitary, providing services to those experiencing home- lessness, ensuring fair and speedy trials in their courts system, providing animal services and other health and human services. This is an election year and vot- ers should take note and ask themselves: Why am I not getting what I deserve from Fulton County and its leadership?”

Arrington and fellow com- missioner Natalie Hall said the seven-person board has repeatedly turned down Sheriff Patrick Labat’s request for additional fund- ing to address issues at the jail.

“Unfortunately, we have colleagues on the Board of Commissioners who voted against things that the sher- iff needs, to at least try to maintain a healthy environ- ment in the jail for not only the inmates, but for the Fulton County sheriff ’s employ- ees,” Hall said.

Both commissioners stated that the jail is falling apart and inmates are taking up pieces of the building and creating weapons. Arrington argues that Labat took over a crumbling facility.

“I think he inherited a mess. He inherited a dilap- idated jail,” Arrington said.

Commissioners recently rejected a double-over- time request from Labat, meaning jail deputies will go back to receiving time-anda-half for overtime work. The request was made because of employee shortages.

Conditions at the jail are under review by the U.S. Justice Department. A civil rights investigation was launched in July 2023, cit- ing the Sept. 13, 2022, death of Lashawn Thompson, who was found in his cell covered with bed bugs.

In late February, during an interview with the AJC in which he said he planned to run for reelection this year, Labat stressed the need for a new jail that could house additional inmates and keep them safe.

The jail, which opened in 1989 and has a current “operational capacity” of 2,400 people, has held close to 3,000 inmates, the sher- iff ’s office said. If a replace- ment jail is built, Labat said, it would hold up to 4,700 people.

“It’s a facility that has out- lived its lifecycle,” the sher- iff has said.

Cherry, the inmate accused in Thursday’s stabbing death, has been in the Fulton jail without bond since April 5, 2020, on several charges including aggravated assault and kidnapping, the sheriff ’s office confirmed.

He was being housed in the same zone as Fortner.

Cherry is now facing additional charges of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony.

Fortner was arrested Jan. 2 and was facing charges of criminal damage to property, obstruction and terroristic threats in two separate incidents, records show.

He was being held at the jail without bond.

Fortner was scheduled to take a final plea in June in a case that began in September 2021. He had been indicted on charges of sexual battery, simple battery, battery, criminal trespass and obstruction, court documents reveal.

Earlier this year, a 36-yearold inmate at the Fulton jail was found unresponsive in his cell, according to the sheriff ’s office. Michael Anthony Holland died Jan. 10 after being taken to Grady Hospital.

Between 2009 and October 2022, more than 60 Fulton detainees died, the highest total for any jail in Georgia during that time, an AJC investigation found.

Ten inmates died in custody last year, nine of whom were being held at the Rice Street facility. Another died at the Atlanta City Detention Center, according to officials.

Atlanta police are investigating Thursday’s fatal stabbing at the jail, and the Fulton Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy.

Marijuana refers to cannabis plants that contain a wide range of compounds, including the psychoactive component THC that produces a high. Georgia has legalized only low-THC medical cannabis oil, and only for patients who are registered with the state as having one of 17 qualifying health conditions. The oil can contain only up to 5% THC – far lower than levels in recreational/street marijuana.

The BEP Corner, an Asian fusion restaurant in Duluth, failed a routine health inspection. The inspector said there was no active managerial control over employees or food safety practices.

Employees were not informed of the health policy requiring them to self-report diseases that are transmissible through food.

The BEP Corner scored 57/U, down from 100/A. It will be reinspected.

Some hand sinks lacked paper towels or soap, and one was filled with buckets.

Foods were at risk of cross-contamination in the coolers. Raw eggs were above fries, produce and noodles in one cooler, and uncooked beef was above raw salmon and noodles in another.

Rice, broth, noodles and sprouts were at unsafe temperatures and were discarded. The heavy cream had expired for more than a month. It was thrown away.

Fuel lighters were stored above an open cooler. Multiple foods removed from bulk containers were not labeled.