Cobb residents were outraged Monday night, as family and friends of Cobb County Jail inmates packed into a Town Hall meeting organized by the Georgia ACLU. They have accused Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren, and his department, of inadequate medical care, 24-hour lockdowns, and keeping inmates from contacting their families. They also want answers for the seven deaths that have occurred inside the jail in the last 12 months.
The jail went into "lockdown" on Sep. 27 after two guards were allegedly assaulted by three inmates. Inmates were only allowed to leave their cells for 15 minutes a day to shower, and families weren't allowed to visit or call their relatives inside the jail. Sheriff Warren claims that the lockdown ended on Oct. 25, but letters from inmates sent to family members allege that the inmates are still on lockdown.
Tiffany Wingo, sister of Kevil Wingo, a Cobb inmate who died inside his cell on Sep. 29, accused the Sherriff's office of "failing to give him the appropriate medical attention he deserved." She also says that no one from the sheriff's office even reached out to her family to offer condolences or discuss what took place. When the family finally scheduled a meeting with the sheriff's office, she claims it was cancelled without explanation.
Sheriff Warren says he won't address each death publicly, but his office said the jail is transitioning to a new health care provider and is working to provide expedient medical treatment to every inmate. He also accuses family attorneys and activists of capitalizing off of these recent deaths in order to inflame the public for either financial or political gain.
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