Autopsy shows more about homicide of Macon inmate. Sheriff speaks on sharing video
A week after lawyers called the video of a Macon inmate’s death “barbaric,” Sheriff David Davis told The Telegraph he wanted people to look at the man’s death “in the context of what was happening.”
Responding to the allegations from family attorneys that inmate Stephen Fossett was treated in a “barbaric” manner as he was, restrained, tasered and killed in an altercation with jail staff, Davis told The Telegraph conclusions can be drawn from the video but “this is a serious situation where someone lost their life ... you have to look at it in the context of what was happening and each person’s involvement in it is and sort of dissect it from there.”
The video has not been released to the public. The Telegraph has filed an open records request seeking the video but has not received a response. Davis said the video wouldn’t be released to the public now, but “at some point, yes, it’ll be out.”
Attorneys for Fossett’s family, Mawuli Davis and Nathan Fitzpatrick, remarked on the video last week after seeing it themselves.
Fossett was experiencing a schizophrenic episode on May 25, the day he died, but the sheriff also alleged he was experiencing effects from synthetic marijuana that he had ingested before. While at the infirmary, he jumped away from nurses and deputies attempting to treat him, which led multiple deputies to taser and restrain him, ultimately putting handcuffs on him.
Fossett’s autopsy report, obtained by The Telegraph through the Georgia Open Records Act, showed that he was under the influence of synthetic marijuana, or MDMB-4en-PINACA. The autopsy shows that factored into his death, but him being restrained and tasered also contributed to his death, and the autopsy determined his death was a homicide.
‘Release the video and there will be no question’
Davis compared the scene to when a football player fumbles the ball, “and you see everybody diving on to get the ball.” He said every deputy had a role to play in the incident.
“I can’t, you know, tell the story until I have all the evidence and it goes through the proper process,” said the sheriff.
In comments made to The Telegraph, Fitzpatrick said Davis’ explanation of the events indicates an accidental injury, “which is not what we have here.”
Fitzpatrick said deputies attacked Fossett in a prone position with intent.
“It’s all on the video,” said Fitzpatrick. “Release the video and there will be no questions about what happened.”
‘Let’s let the process work itself out’
The sheriff said an internal investigation has to be completed so the sheriff’s office can get all the facts to make needed adjustments to operations or hold someone accountable.
“You know, you never want someone to die in custody,” Davis said. “And in this situation, the circumstances came to where Mr. Fossett lost his life while being incarcerated here, and so it takes some time to get all of the facts together.”
Davis said he waited a long time for the autopsy report, and “it’s pretty hard for us to make a decision or finalize a case until we get that.”
The Macon-area district attorney’s office suggested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation look at the incident.
“(The bureau) had a couple of suggestions and we followed up on those,” the sheriff said. He did not clarify what those suggestions were.
Davis said tasers have become so advanced that they include computers that determine how long the person is being tasered. Thus, the video of Fossett’s last moments could show “a lot of tasing going on, but the actual contact is to be determined.”
Investigation information regarding Fossett’s death would be submitted to Distrct Attorney Howard’s office for her to look at and present it to a grand jury or not.
“Let’s let the process work itself out,” Davis said. “But let’s let everybody have their opportunity to explain what you’re seeing in the video, to explain what everybody’s doing.”
This story was originally published February 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM.
