Macon inmate died after Bibb County officer tased him. His family wants answers.
The family of a man who died after a Bibb County Jail officer used a taser on him about three months ago says they’ve still not gotten answers about what happened.
Stephen Fossett’s family gathered in front of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday alongside civil rights attorneys Mawuli Davis and Nathan Fitzpatrick to tell the community they have not received crucial evidence about what led to Fossett’s death.
Fitzpatrick said they need medical records, body camera footage and access to medical staff and supervisors who were present during the medical emergency, tasing and death.
“We just want full transparency,” Fitzpatrick said. “We want the Fossett family to know what exactly happened to their loved one, and we want to bring them closure, and to the extent that there was something that was done that was not up to the standard of the law.”
Fossett, who was arrested on a criminal trespassing charge, was the eighth inmate to die at the Bibb County Jail since 2020, according to records provided by the sheriff’s office.
Fossett’s mother, Paula Platt, said he suffered from chronic schizophrenia. She said Fossett participated in a mental health program through the county and the jail staff should have been familiar with his mental illness.
“When those with disabilities are approached by law enforcement, they are not afforded the proper accommodations to address the issues that they may be having or suffering with,” Davis said. “We are here to make it clear that every citizen of Georgia, including Mr. Fossett, deserves and should have their rights protected under (the Americans with Disabilities Act) when they’re having a mental crisis.
“They should not be criminalized, they should not be brutalized and they absolutely should not die,” he said.
What happened to Fossett happens too often in Georgia, Davis said. The lawyers mentioned the only document provided to them was an incident report of the death, which says deputies tased him with handcuffs on and put their body weight on him. Davis said applying full bodyweight to a tased, handcuffed inmate can be lethal.
The lawyers said they haven’t seen indication that the BCSO notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation or the local district attorney’s office about Fossett’s death to investigate, which they are supposed to do for transparency.
“If this is an internal investigation into your own officers, then share it,” Davis said. “Share everything you have. Share it now.”
Until they can get information from the sheriff’s office, GBI or the district attorney’s office, the lawyers and the family are sharing fliers with residents with hopes that people who have information about the incident will come forward
‘Love your loved ones for who they are’
Platt shared that she would still wait by the door for Fossett to return to their home, even after his death. She did it often when Fossett would have schizophrenic episodes and leave for a few days at a time. At first, she used to want him to be “normal,” but she said God advised her to “leave that man alone and let him be who I made him.”
Platt believes those who struggle with their mental health are the strongest people she knows.
“When you battle your mind 24 hours a day and still get up the next day to fight, that is an amazing person,” she said.
“Just love your loved ones for who they are,” said Platt. “We may not be able to understand the things they do, how they are and what they go through, but we have to love them in spite of it.”
This story was originally published August 29, 2024 at 10:07 AM.
