ATLANTA — A jail guard in Atlanta is on the mend after being stabbed in the neck over the weekend at a facility currently operating under a federal consent decree.
Fulton County Detention Officer Rico George sustained injuries after being attacked around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. He was reportedly stabbed by an inmate named Bakari Stokes-Martin, who is being held without bond on murder charges, as indicated in a statement by the sheriff’s office.
Officer George was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery. As of Monday, he remains in stable condition and is expected to make a recovery.
The incident occurred during a time when Stokes-Martin, aged 18, was out of his cell for a period of leisure. George had requested that the inmate remove a blanket covering his upper body, which seemed to trigger Stokes-Martin. According to the statement, he then charged at the officer with a shank concealed beneath the blanket, stabbing him at least twice behind the left ear.
Following the attack, deputies and jail officers quickly subdued Stokes-Martin, discovering five shanks in his possession. Stokes-Martin now faces multiple additional charges, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, having been in custody since his arrest on February 10, 2024, on several charges, including murder.
Sheriff Pat Labat expressed gratitude towards the medical team at Grady Hospital, commending their care for Officer George. “He is in good spirits and hopefully going home soon,” Labat stated.
The facility became subject to scrutiny when the Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation in July 2023. Concerns were raised about violence, unclean living conditions, and the death of a man found covered in insects while in custody. The investigation concluded that jail officials were not adequately protecting detainees from violence, were using excessive force, and were maintaining unconstitutional and illegal conditions.
In response, the Justice Department and Fulton County officials entered into a court-enforced consent decree in January. An independent monitor was appointed last month to oversee compliance with this agreement.
