The Justice Department has launched a civil rights investigation into unsanitary conditions at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia. Today (July 13), Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, spoke in a news conference about the probe.

According to CNN, the death of Lashawn Thompson, an inmate at the facility, sparked the investigation. In September 2022, Thompson was in custody on a misdemeanor assault charge. Authorities housed the 35-year-old in the jail’s psychiatric wing because he suffered from mental health issues, Michael Harper, Thompson’s family’s attorney, shared.

The man was found deceased in his cell “covered in lice and filth.” A medical review commissioned by attorneys for Thompson’s family determined his cause as a homicide, caused by neglect. The examination alleged Thompson’s illness went untreated, and he suffered from dehydration, malnutrition, and severe body insect infestation.

“Addressing conditions of confinement in our country requires focus on the conditions that exist inside our jails,” Clarke said. She emphasized that jails should have “constitutional and humane conditions” in which individuals can live while they proceed through the criminal justice process. “Detention or incarceration in jail should not include exposure to unconstitutional living conditions that place lives in jeopardy or risks serious harm or assaults,” Clarke added.

After the briefing, Attorney General Merrick Garland released a statement. Incarcerated people “are entitled to basic protections of their civil rights,” he said. “During this comprehensive review of the conditions of confinement at the Fulton County Jail, the Justice Department will determine whether systemic violations of federal laws exist, and if so, how to correct them.” The outlet noted that Thompson’s family is “encouraged” by the DOJ’s probe and “hope that the responsible parties will be held accountable.” The Justice Department has indicated it had “not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter.”