MACON, Ga. — The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has ruled a Bibb County inmate's death a homicide after a deputy Tased him during a medical emergency, and now, the GBI is taking over the case.
Fossett, 42, died on May 25 after suffering a medical emergency in the county jail. In the month since, his family has been raising awareness to Fossett's case, which included holding a press conference outside the Bibb County jail in August.
While being treated by medical staff, the sheriff’s office says Fossett became combative, prompting a deputy to fire their Taser to help control the situation. Only a few hours later, Fossett would die at the local hospital.
Originally, the sheriff's office only said that Fossett died after suffering a medical emergency, and they said they believed no foul play was involved.
But in a follow-up statement the next day, the sheriff's office included new details in Fossett's death. They said Fossett — who was arrested on criminal trespassing charges — was "behaving strangely" and was taken to medical screening.
It was then that the sheriff's office included the fact that he was Tased.
However, according to the statement, they said: "The taser had no effect on the inmate."
In a statement on Monday, the GBI says their medical examiner has ruled Fossett's death a homicide and last Wednesday, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office and the Macon District Attorney's Office requested the GBI investigate.
They say investigators are looking over the Bibb County investigation, and they don't have any additional details available.
"At this time there is no reason to deviate from our previous statements concerning Mr. Fossett," Sheriff David Davis said in a statement.
He says once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Macon District Attorney's Office for any final determinations on charges.
"The release of the GBI Medical Examiner's report confirmed what we have always suspected, that Stephen Fossett was brutally tased to death while in the custody of the Bibb County Sheriff's Office," Nathan Fitzpatrick, co-counsel for the Fossett family, said in a statement.
In the months since Fossett's death, his family has begun calling for more information, saying the sheriff's office has not been transparent enough. On Aug. 28, Fossett's family and their attorneys held a press conference outside the jail.
“This family deserves transparency. They deserve it now,” said Mawuli Davis, one of the attorneys representing Fossett’s family. “It’s been now over 90 days since his death. For us, there is no reason that the family does not have the answers they need. They haven’t been able to fully grieve.”
While the family painted a picture of Fossett as "a praying man," they also noted that he had a 20-year long battle with schizophrenia.
“Even when he was out and having his crisis, he would always say ‘Mama I’m okay because I prayed,’” his mother Paula Platt said at the press conference. “He would always come in and the first thing he would do, he would open the door and say ‘y’all okay and I love you.’ I miss him so much.”