Fulton County Inmate Found Unresponsive In Jail's Medical Unit

ATLANTA, GA — A 34-year-old man was found unresponsive in the Fulton County Jail last week and died, according to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said Saturday Christopher Smith, 34, was found unresponsive by a detention officer Thursday evening in a medical unit cell at the Rice Street facility.

Medical personnel resuscitated Smith, and he was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, authorities said. Smith died around 5:30 a.m. Friday.

Smith was arrested on Oct. 6, 2019, by the Atlanta Police Department and booked into the Fulton County Jail. Authorities said he was being held on several felony and misdemeanor charges without bond.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

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Fulton County's sheriff's office and jail have recently been under fire, reporting multiple other inmate deaths in recent months and being the subject of a U.S. Department of Justice civil investigation.

RELATED: 2 Inmates Accused Of Setting Fire At Fulton County Jail

The DOJ launched the investigation on July 13 into living conditions at the jail.
Justice officials said in a news release the probe will also examine the jail's ability to protect people from violence and whether Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff's Office discriminate against people diagnosed with psychiatric disabilities inside of the jail.

Jail detention officers have been fired and charged relating to misconduct.

RELATED: Fulton Detention Officer Accused Of Improper Sex Contact With Inmate

The family of Noni Battiste-Kosoko sent on Aug. 9 an ante litem notice to Fulton County relating to her death. Battiste-Kosoko died at the Atlanta City Detention Center on July 11, six days after her birthday.

Fulton County commissioners unanimously voted on Aug. 3 to settle in a lawsuit relating to Lashawn Thompson's death.

According to a private autopsy Thompson died in the jail of "severe neglect." He reportedly suffered more than 1,000 bed bug bites while in Fulton County's custody. He died in September 2022 at the jail.

RELATED: Fulton County Detention Officer Fired; Faces Assault, Battery Charges

The DOJ's Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is leading the investigation into the jail alongside the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Northern District of Georgia.

Patch has reached out to the sheriff's office for comment.