A Fulton County Jail inmate died at an Atlanta hospital this week, the sixth death since the end of July at the facility where former President Donald Trump turned himself over to Georgia authorities.
The jail catapulted into the national spotlight last month as former President Trump voluntarily surrendered there in connection with his election interference case pending in Georgia. He was processed and had his mug shot taken — a first for any former or sitting U.S. president. The jail also processed his 18 co-defendants.
On Wednesday, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said 24-year-old Shawndre Delmore was found unresponsive during a routine inspection conducted by a detention officer last week. Delmore was transported to an Atlanta hospital, where he died on Sunday, as reported by The Hill.
This comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of the Fulton County Jail, with the Department of Justice announcing its initiation of a civil investigation in July. The federal inquiry was prompted by allegations of deplorable conditions, including violence resulting in fatalities or injuries, squalid living conditions, and the report last year of an inmate whose lifeless body was discovered infested with insects.
The DOJ said the investigation will examine the jail's "living conditions, medical and mental health care, use of excessive force, and protection from violence."
Delmore's legal journey began on April 1 when he was apprehended and subsequently held in custody, facing charges of second-degree burglary and obstruction of law enforcement officers, according to information from the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.
The Atlanta Police Department has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of Delmore's death. Additionally, the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office is set to perform an autopsy.
Other inmates have met a similar fate.
In September 2022, 35-year-old Lashawn Thompson died in the jail's psychiatry wing cell, an environment infested with bedbugs. A subsequent independent autopsy pointed to severe neglect as the cause of death; his family sued and settled with the county.
Recent fatalities include 34-year-old Samuel Lawrence, who was discovered unresponsive in his cell and died on Aug. 26; 23-year-old Dayvion Blake, who was fatally stabbed on Aug. 31; 66-year-old Alexander Hawkins, who was found unresponsive in a medical unit cell and died on Aug. 17; 34-year-old Christopher Smith, who was found unresponsive in a medical unit cell and died on Aug. 11; and 40-year-old Montay Stinson, who was found unresponsive in his cell and died on Aug. 1.
Additionally, four inmates suffered injuries during the violent altercation in which Blake was stabbed on Aug. 31.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.