Clarke County Sheriff John Q. Williams held a press conference Monday, regarding recent deaths and suspected overdoses at the county jail. According to Williams, fentanyl is responsible for the surge in overdose deaths at correctional facilities.
“Today I want to talk about a tragedy that is playing out far too often, in places designed for security and rehabilitation,” Williams said. “This isn’t just a distant story on the news, it’s a stark, painful reality that touches our communities, our families, and the very incarcerated people that we house here.” just a statistic; it’s a human life. “A person with a story, with family, with a potential future extinguished by a microscopic amount of a powerful opioid.”
Since April, Torrance Bishop, Shabazz Wingfield, and Boycie Howard have died in custody. Brent Boling was still on life support at the time of the press conference. Williams said there were four possible overdoses last week.
“Imagine the scene: a locked cell, a sterile environment, yet somehow the deadliest drug of our time finds its way in.”
The investigation includes a review of jail protocols and procedures, working with the coroner’s office to determine the cause of death, and having the Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigate. Sheriff Williams said they are currently 40 officers short. He also said there is no evidence of any staff bringing drugs inside the jail.
