JONESBORO, Ga. — The Clayton County Sheriff's Office is investigating an attack in its jail Thursday, which took the life of an inmate. Sheriff Levon Allen told 11Alive's Dawn White in an exclusive interview the suspect, victim, and another inmate ended up in the same cell due to overcrowding.
This is the second inmate homicide at the jail in less than two months.
Inmates alerted correctional officers of an attack at the jail just before 4 p.m., according to Sheriff Allen.
“They quickly realized that the inmate had been assaulted by his roommate, and they rendered aid," Allen said. "The victim received CPR three minutes after employees learned of the assault."
Allen said 43-year-old Abdul Woodward has been in the jail for less than 30 days on baggage removal charges. Woodward now faces charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, and simple battery in connection with the death of his cellmate, 26-year-old Johnathan Pettigrew, who was supposed to be released from jail next week.
“The victim had been in this particular cell with his roommate for some time. Today, he was introduced a new roommate, which was our aggressor, our suspect, and they were just placed in a room today [Thursday]," Allen said.
Allen believes Woodward didn't use any weapons in the attack, which he said the third cellmate witnessed.
“He told us that when the suspect came into the room, he was upset, and he began to fight with our victim and also told him that he was next," Allen said.
Sheriff Allen said he's already planning changes in hopes of keeping inmates safe while they're at the jail.
“What we have done was identified through classifications, inmates who have had a history of violence throughout the jail, and we have moved them to one particular location in the jail," Allen said.
Allen has another goal to reduce overcrowding.
“My goal is to get these inmates through the court system and or the inmates with the lesser offenses, like what you see here, baggage removal, released on some type of ankle monitor," Allen said.
Allen hopes to get $6.5 million in funding this month for trailers to house non-violent inmates in hopes of reducing overcrowding at the jail. This comes after previously asking for funding for numerous issues at the jail.