Protest outside of Bibb County Jail brings out sheriff, commissioner
A protest outside the Bibb County Jail, which advocated for inmates’ rights, prompted Sheriff David Davis to walk out and speak with the group Wednesday.
The leader of the Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia, Brian Randolph, organized the protest, which brought members from the Middle Georgia Democratic Socialists of America, as well as aggrieved family members of incarcerated individuals at the Bibb County Jail, all of whom talked about the inhumane conditions at the jail and demanded change.
Among the crowd were District 3 Commissioner Stanley Stewart and Paula Platt, the mother of Stephen Fossett, who died after a struggle with deputies inside the jail.
Gerald Griggs, president of the Georgia NAACP, and Gwenette Westbrooks, president of the Macon chapter of the NAACP, walked through the jail last week, alongside the sheriff and Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita R. Howard. They found “cracked walls, broken plumbing, poor lighting and unsanitary conditions (that) create an environment no human should be subjected to,” according to Griggs. Many of the testimonies heard at the protest from the aggrieved family members echoed the NAACP’s reports.
“We got to make sure we take care of those citizens who are behind bars and who are serving a debt to society,” Stewart said.
Sheriff comes out, protesters argue with him
Davis walked out of his office and spoke with the protesters outside, demonstrating his support for the movement. He explained that the jail has been occupied every day for the past 45 years “by folks who really don’t want to be there,” who end up being disruptive and destructive, he said Wednesday.
But he encouraged the protesters to keep fighting.
“We need folks like you all, certainly,” Davis said. “I know you’re here protesting and demonstrating ... for those individuals who need your voice. And I need your voice ... we need to keep this momentum going because I need something done about this facility here.”
There are over a thousand inmates at the jail, with a third of them being diagnosed with a mental health issue, with “a lot more of them having physical issues and substance abuse issues, you name it,” according to Davis. He also explained that inmates can often be extorted in jail.
Platt became frustrated with the interaction with Davis and confronted him about Fossett’s death at the jail, who she said was “treated like a dog,” and the fact that the sheriff’s office hasn’t been held accountable for it.
“On a personal level, I cannot think about losing a child,” Davis told Platt.
“All he was doing was trying to f****** live!” Platt responded.
Arden Latham, who stayed at the jail for one day on a marijuana cultivation charge around December 2023, also spoke to Davis and explained what her experience was like inside.
“I was very lucky to get a cell,” Latham explained. “Because most of the women on my block were actually sleeping in the common area.”
She was housed next to a woman charged with trespassing, who was bleeding profusely when she arrived there. Latham said her cellmate was beaten by a correctional officer, who was irritated by her asking if she could speak to her mother. The cellmate had been there for three months.
Latham said that she would envy the women sleeping in the common area, considering the toilet was filled with human waste, which smelled so bad they could not breathe. There was no water and no electricity in her cell either, she said.
“The only reason I got out is because I got lucky,” Latham said. “I knew Leon Jones (the county coroner) and he vouched for me ... but (her cellmate) wasn’t lucky. She was homeless. She had committed a crime of ... trespass because she was sleeping.”
And although she explained that she understands the sheriff’s position in the matter, she asked for empathy.
“I see that you are trying to put on a political presence,” said Latham. “I know that’s your job and I respect that’s your job, but we’re asking for human empathy.”
Her charge was eventually expunged, Latham said.
Protesters head toward city hall, mayor not there
When the discussion turned to what can be changed in the jail, Stewart suggested that their concerns could be better addressed in City Hall, where they could have an opportunity to speak to Mayor Lester Miller. However, after walking through First Street to City Hall, escorted by Bibb County deputies, the mayor was not there.
“There was no indication made to us the group would move their protest from the (jail) to City Hall, and the mayor and others were offsite with already scheduled meetings and commitments,” Chris Floore, chief communications officer for the county, said. “There had not been a request made to meet with him directly.”
Floore also said that Miller has met with the sheriff over the past few weeks about the jail’s future after he and the commissioners toured it the past month.
“That way, they could see for themselves and not through social media the conditions inside and the challenges being faced,” Floore said.
This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 6:21 PM.
