The Georgia NAACP stands in support of the family in the pursuit of justice. President Gerald Griggs joined the family, Attorney Ben Crump and Attorney Michael Harper in demanding accountability for LaShawn’s in custody death. LaShawn Thompson, who was discovered deceased and infested with bed bugs, was found inside the Fulton County Jail. The conditions and what happened to LaShawn was completely unacceptable.
Lawyers representing the family of Lashawn Thompson are now calling for an independent post-mortem examination after he was found unresponsive on September 13, 2022, in the psychiatric wing of the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta. According to his relatives, he had been "eaten alive" by bed bugs. A medical examiner has listed the cause of the 35-year-old's death as undetermined. Three staff members at the jail have resigned as part of an ongoing internal investigation.
Mr Thompson, who had schizophrenia, was arrested on a misdemeanour simple battery charge on June 12, 2022, and was placed in the psychiatric wing of the jail. Civil rights and personal injury lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing the family, has announced that they will seek an independent autopsy, which former NFL athlete Colin Kaepernick has agreed to pay for. At a press conference held outside the jail on Thursday, Mr Crump presented an enlarged post-mortem photo of Mr Thompson with his eyes open, surrounded by bugs.
Brad McCrae, Mr Thompson's younger brother, described the images of his body covered in insects as "horrific" and likened the cell to a "death chamber". Another family attorney, Michael Harper, stated that Mr Thompson died with his eyes open and that medical records documented his decline, yet nothing was done to help him. According to Mr Crump, Mr Thompson had over 1,000 bites and insects were found in his mouth, ears, nose, and all over his body.
The lawyers are calling for a criminal investigation, and a pending lawsuit has been indicated. Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, who spoke at the press conference alongside the Thompson family and attorneys, described the situation as "absolutely unconscionable". The investigation into Mr Thompson's death is still ongoing and is being conducted by the Office of Professional Standards and the Atlanta Police Department. It will later be handed over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The Georgia NAACP will continue to support the family demand for justice and accountability.
PHOTO CREDIT JUSTIN KASE PHOTOGRAPHY
