Family of man who died in Bibb County Jail holds vigil, still wants video released
The family of Stephen Fossett, a Bibb County Jail inmate who died in custody earlier this year, is urging the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office to release video of the incident that left him dead.
Stephen Fossett’s family, their attorneys and supporters held a candlelight vigil and rally at the Bibb County Jail the evening of Oct. 22, where correctional officers tased Fossett before his death early this year, according to investigators. He was booked on a trespassing charge.
According to an incident report, Fossett was uncooperative with jail staff and multiple people working inside the jail were unable to restrain him, believing he was “spazzing out,” which prompted them to tase Fossett and put their body weight on him. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation ruled his death a homicide and is investigating further.
Some attendees came from Atlanta, where people were asked to meet at Clark Atlanta University, approximately 86 miles from Macon. A bus then took them to the Bibb County Jail.
The group, led by Fossett’s mother, Paula Platt, walked to the front of the Bibb County Jail and sang “This Little Light of Mine,” a gospel song considered a pillar of the civil rights movement. The family’s attorneys, Nathan Fitzpatrick and Mawuli Davis, followed behind.
“This is about us showing that we are determined for him,” said Fitzpatrick, “Because right now he can’t do anything for himself.”
“We’re here to show support to him up in heaven and to do what needs to be done for us to get justice,” said Fitzpatrick.
Gwenette Westbrooks, president of the Macon chapter of the NAACP, also attended the rally and said the group was there “to make sure that justice is served and make sure that the family get the answers that they need because this family does need peace.”
She said what happened to Fossett shouldn’t happen to anyone in the system, and that families should not have to worry about whether their loved ones will come out of jail dead or alive.
“We will continue to fight to make sure that the jails are safe,” said Westbrooks. “This case has triggered very serious questions and concerns that everybody in this community should have.”
She said understands that an investigation is underway, but she encourages the sheriff’s office to be transparent so the family can get the peace they need.
‘A trespassing charge ... is not a death sentence’
Fossett’s sister, Tiffany Fossett, urged the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office to be accountable for what happened.
“My brother did not deserve to die,” said Tiffany Fossett. “My brother had a trespassing charge. You can go into a store and get a trespassing charge ... that is not a death sentence.”
In August, Platt shared that Fossett suffered from chronic schizophrenia and, because he had participated in mental health programs in the county, she argued that jail staff should have been familiar with his situation. At the vigil Tuesday, she said Fossett was more than an inmate — he was a son, an uncle, a nephew, a cousin and a grandson.
Students from Clark Atlanta University also came to Macon when they heard about Fossett’s story. One student, Donae Beckford, said she has an older brother and “if something happened to my older brother, I want a community of people to stand behind me, so I have to make sure that I’m standing behind the people who look like me.”
The evening ended with a prayer circle, with candles lit. People held white and blue balloons and, after one last message to Fossett, attendees let go of the balloons, which headed northeast.
The sheriff’s office asked GBI to investigate Fossett’s death
When Fossett’s death was declared a homicide by the GBI, Sheriff David Davis indicated that the BCSO’s internal affairs and criminal investigation unit were still investigating Fossett’s death. They’ve received all of the toxicology and autopsy reports and asked GBI to help investigate.
Once their investigations are completed, Davis said he would send their reports to District Attorney Anita R. Howard to determine if criminal charges need to be filed.
The sheriff’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment about sharing body camera footage from the incident prior to publication.
In the meantime, the Davis Boseman law firm has started a petition for the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office to release the footage.
This story was originally published October 23, 2024 at 2:29 PM.
