Convicted Killer Mistakenly Released From DeKalb Jail

DECATUR, GA — A convicted killer was mistakenly released from DeKalb County Jail and free for two days before authorities discovered the error.

WSB-TV reports that Javoris Hurston, of Atlanta, was released after what jail officials say was a miscommunication between Fulton and DeKalb counties. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office didn't realize there had been a mistake until the victim's family reported seeing Hurston on the streets.

Hurston had pleaded guilty last year to manslaughter in the 2015 slaying of Barry Hawkins, 51, on Ira Street in Atlanta. He had been arrested for that killing in 2015, but got out on bond. Soon afterward, Hurston was arrested in DeKalb County on aggravated assault charges.

Last June, Hurston was sent back to Fulton County, where he pleaded guilty in Hawkins' death and received a 20-year prison sentence. He was sent back to DeKalb to face the aggravated assault charges, which were dropped on Feb. 15. That's when the jail released him.

DeKalb County officials told WSB that Fulton didn't send over information about his guilty plea. DeKalb jail officials told the station that no procedural errors were made by its employees and no one will be disciplined. Fulton officials are investigating what happened in the case.

A fugitive squad found Hurston and put him back in jail. He is now back in Fulton County Jail awaiting transfer to a state prison.

To read the original WSB-TV report, click here.

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