Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants in the Georgia election case will be facing their legal troubles head-on as they prepare to turn themselves in to the Fulton County Jail. This detention center, known for its overcrowding and infestation of bedbugs and fire ants, is currently under investigation by the Justice Department for alleged civil rights violations. Trump, along with his allies such as Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, and David Shafer, were recently indicted and charged with multiple crimes related to their alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. While Trump has denied any wrongdoing, the consequences of these charges are becoming very real for the former president.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has given the defendants until noon on August 25th to surrender, and once they do, they will be arrested and processed at the Fulton County Jail. However, concerns about the conditions of this detention center have already been raised, especially by Trump supporters who fear for his safety. It’s no secret that the Fulton County Jail has a horrific reputation in the state, with reports of dangerous living conditions and even deaths within its walls. Some are questioning the reasoning behind forcing Trump to be arrested at this particular facility, especially as the Biden administration is currently investigating the jail for safety violations.
Critics of the Fulton County Jail have come forward, including law professor Anthony Michael Kreis who expressed his concern over the inhumane conditions within the jail. He urged those making light of Trump’s potential arrest to educate themselves about the dreadful ways people have died there. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched an investigation into the jail after the death of a mentally ill prisoner who was eaten alive by bedbugs. These ongoing investigations have shed light on the dire state of the detention center and have fueled calls for change.
Built in 1985, the Fulton County Jail was intended to hold around 1,300 inmates but has consistently held more than double that number. Overcrowding has long been an issue, leading to unhygienic living conditions, outbreaks of diseases such as COVID-19, lice, and scabies, and dangerously malnourished inmates. Last month, another tragic death occurred when a man being held at the jail since 2019 was found unresponsive in his cell and later died at the hospital. This marked the sixth death at the facility this year alone.
It is clear that the Fulton County Jail’s reputation precedes itself, and concerns for Trump’s safety are not unwarranted. The investigations into the jail’s conditions and the ongoing debate surrounding the arrests of Trump and his co-defendants will continue to bring attention to this troubled detention center. The alarming state of the Fulton County Jail raises questions about the treatment of prisoners and the need for reform within the criminal justice system.
