Family of Stephen Fossett plans civil rights lawsuit after jail video release
The Bibb County inmate’s family says the video shows excessive force; DA Anita Howard says no charges will be filed against deputies.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Graphic and disturbing video showing the final moments of Stephen Fossett’s life has been released to his family. The footage, sent to the family’s attorneys Monday, shows multiple deputies repeatedly using stun guns on Fossett as he lies on the floor, curled in the corner of a jail cell.
The video later shows Fossett being dragged into a hallway, while the devices continue to discharge. One deputy can be heard shouting “release” as the confrontation unfolds.
According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Fossett was under the influence of synthetic marijuana during the incident and suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.
Attorney Mawuli Mel Davis, who represents the Fossett family, described the video as inhumane and heartbreaking.
“He was a citizen,” he said. “He was a human being. He was a young man with a disability, and he should have been treated as such. And because he wasn’t, he is dead.”
In a statement released on April 9, District Attorney Anita Howard announced that no criminal charges would be filed against the deputies involved.
“After careful review of all available evidence, we have concluded that the force used by officers was reasonable under the circumstances and did not violate Georgia law governing the use of force by peace officers,” Howard said. “The evidence shows that the officers were responding to a rapidly evolving situation with an inmate who had consumed an illegal substance, became combative, and attempted to flee while in custody.”
Despite the DA’s decision, Attorney Davis says the family intends to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against Bibb County and the deputies involved.
The investigation into Fossett’s death remains active, and the sheriff’s office has confirmed that all deputies involved are still on duty.
The Fossett family continues to demand justice and is advocating for systemic change within jail facilities, especially in how individuals with mental health conditions are treated.
Statement from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office:
“My sincere condolences and those of the members of the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office go out to Mr. Fossett’s family. In regard to the findings of the District Attorney, Mr. Fossett’s death was investigated in great detail by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office with guidance and review by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. There was also detailed technical information provided by the taser manufacturer. All of these findings were given to DA Howard for any prosecutorial decisions she may make. Based on her analysis of the information, it was determined that criminal charges against the involved Bibb Sheriff’s officers are not legally warranted.”
The Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into Fossett’s death on October 2—nearly four months after he died in custody on May 25.
