ATLANTA - Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, in a statement issued on Friday, is calling for an independent state investigation after a former jail inmate lost his legs and fingers due to medical complications.
Fulton County Jail investigation
What we know:
Sheriff Patrick Labat confirmed Friday that he asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to review the case of Rashaad Muhammad. Muhammad went into septic shock and required amputations after a bladder infection was reportedly ignored for 11 days while he was in custody.
Labat described the reports of Muhammad’s condition as "deeply troubling and heartbreaking." The GBI confirmed its investigation is open and ongoing as leaders look for accountability regarding medical procedures, staffing, and inmate welfare.
Labat's response to critics
What they're saying:
"If failures occurred within our system, they will be addressed," Labat said in a statement released Friday. The sheriff noted the jail has faced decades of overcrowding and staffing shortages but stated those "cannot become excuses" for the treatment of people in his care.
Commissioner Khadijah Abdul-Rahman previously asked the board to contact the governor, stating she would not "turn the other way" regarding accountability. However, Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. questioned if the sheriff should be held personally responsible for medical provider issues.
September bladder infection
The backstory:
The calls for action follow allegations from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Muhammad. Crump said Muhammad begged for medicine for over a week before his condition turned into life-altering septic shock.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a press release issued by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, as well as previous reporting from FOX 5 Atlanta regarding county commission meetings and statements from attorney Ben Crump.