Protest at Bibb jail prompts conversation with Sheriff Davis, march to City Hall

Macon citizens demanded changes to the Bibb County Jail at a protest Wednesday in front of the county lockup in downtown Macon. The “Inmates Lives Matter” rally followed a wave of recent outcries against the inhumane treatment of inmates, the release of images exposing the jail’s squalid conditions and concerns with overpopulation.

Participants stood outside the county jail, chanting “no justice, no peace.” Many also wore “incarcerated lives matter” T shirts.

Protesters knocked on the glass doors of the sheriff’s office, prompting Bibb County Sheriff David Davis to come outside and listen to their concerns. 

Davis agreed with protesters, calling the conditions within the county jail “deplorable” and “antiquated.” 

“That’s the only place I have to put them,” he said of the inmates.

If he had permission from the courts, he would release every inmate today, Davis told the crowd, but where the incarcerated individuals end up is ultimately the court’s decision.

He noted that many people violate probation and end up back in the county jail before seeing a judge. Davis also pointed to the number of incarcerated individuals with mental health challenges. 

“We have got to get better treatment, better facilities and better medicine and better care for our individuals who have mental health challenges, so they won’t wind up in my jail.” he said.

The Bibb County Jail houses more than 1,000 people and a third of them have diagnosed mental health challenges, according to Davis, who said this is a problem faced throughout Georgia. The capacity of the jail is 966 people.

“That is my legal obligation to make sure that these individuals are taken care of,” Davis told the protesters.

Seeking justice for Stephen Fossett

The conversation between Davis and the protesters intensified when people began asking about Stephen Fossett, whose death at the Bibb County Jail on May 25, 2024 sparked public dissent.

“Justice is served through the courts,” Davis said in response.

Fossett’s mother, Paula Platt, came forward to ask for accountability and address Davis directly for the first time in nearly a year. 

“He didn’t deserve to be treated like trash,” Platt said.

“On a personal level I cannot even think about losing a child,” Davis said.

“All he was doing was trying to (expletive) live and they killed my baby,” Platt said, before stepping away from the confrontation.

“I’m so sorry,” Davis told her. “We have to let the legal situation work its way out.”

Platt said she wants to see real change occur and said the issues with the county jail’s conditions and treatment of inmates is “systemic.” She is still seeking justice for her son’s death nearly a year later and calls the situation an indescribable pain, noting a lack of transparency and accountability. 

“I’m thankful for the changes that are seeming to come about since my son has passed — that his life is making a difference in Bibb County,” Platt told The Melody. “It’s bittersweet because I feel like my son still didn’t get his real justice.”

She explained that her son had schizophrenia for more than two decades and lived in her home intermittently. 

“Regardless of what anybody else thought about him, or what the officers thought about him, Stephen was my baby,” Platt said. “He was loved.”

Protest at city hall

The dialogue between Davis and those gathered outside the jail continued with protesters pressing the sheriff for answers. 

“I know we’re all standing around here because we see that some basic needs are not met, and I won’t argue with you, but they’re getting fed, they have medical care,” Davis told the protesters before several shouts from the crowd cut him off. 

Davis acknowledged issues with maintenance and cleanup, but said inmates throw food and destroy things.

Arden Latham shared with Davis and the other protesters her experience being held in the county lockup. Latham said she spent 24 hours in jail in December 2023 after she was arrested for allegedly growing marijuana, a charge Latham said was false.

She recounted seeing women sleeping on floors and tables in the common area. The toilet in her cell was broken and there was no running water or electricity, according to Latham, who said she had to negotiate with other inmates for drinking water.

“That will live with me forever, not because of what I saw happen to me, but because of what I saw happen to all those other girls who were not lucky,” Latham said of her brief experience.

Other protesters suggested a citizen advisory board and expressed interest in having Davis meet with people regularly, to which he agreed.

County commissioner Stanley Stewart also attended the protest and encouraged folks to take their concerns about the jail’s physical conditions to the mayor.

“The ultimate decision rests with the mayor and the commission as to what type of facility is going to get built and how much money is going to be available to build it,” Davis told The Melody.

The protesters invited Davis to continue the conversation at city hall and asked for more involvement in the discussions between him and the mayor. 

“We’re asking for you to walk two blocks with us,” Arden said. 

Davis agreed to join them and the rally relocated to the steps of city hall, but the mayor was not there.