MACON, Ga. — Fights happen in every jail, but we often hear complaints about fights in the Bibb County jail--along with concerns about conditions, staffing and safety measures there.
It's a topic we've covered before, especially since the 2021 stabbing death of Deputy Christopher Knight.
We wanted to take a closer look after our team was looking through lists of crimes committed in March, and one week stood out. There were four aggravated assaults in the Bibb County jail within five days.
We wanted to know if is this an unusual coincidence or a sign of a larger problem.
Family members of inmates say it's a constant problem.
"I understand that when people do the crime, they do the time, but you're also innocent until proven guilty, and things need to get better at the Bibb County jail."
Sonya Bonner says she fears for her son's life. He's been in the Bibb County jail since March.
"He did tell me someone tried to stab him with a knife. I called down there and never got a response," Bonner said.
Reports we pulled from the Sheriff's Office show inmates being taken to the er for their injuries like injured jaws, bloody noses, and busted-up hands.
But there are other reports like the one on March 14, where several inmates attacked another in the shower. The report says an "unknown inmate" covered up a camera with an unknown object when the assault was happening. The inmate who was beaten suffered eye injuries.
Then four days later, on March 18, roughly a dozen inmates were reportedly doing drugs. Major Eric Woodford says inmates produced those drugs inside the jail with things like bleach and paint stripper.
The report says five of those inmates attacked seven others, some with shanks, stabbing and cutting them.
Major Woodford says jailers try to do shakedowns every day, checking for weapons.
"Well, they will tear up anything. They will tear up the lights. They will tear up their bunks, the tables, wherever they can break a piece of metal off, a broom stick...whatever," Woodford said.
"I don't think they're looking where they need to look at. I don't think they're doing what they need to do as officers, as guards. If they were doing their job, I don't think there would be as many stabbings and fights in jail," Bonner said.
But Woodford says the problem with fights in the jail comes down to inmates and their behavior.
"We are talking about offenders who are on the street who are now in jail for committing some crime on the street. Going to jail isn't going to change them instantly," Woodford said.
Woodford says number of assaults in the jail has dropped. For example, there were 8 assaults this March and 11 in March 2022.
He says they have assigned investigators to each case, and then they are turned over to prosecutors.
Woodford says jail staffing has increased in the last three years; however, they are still 60 jailers short.