CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A mother was horrified after seeing her son severely beaten in the Clayton County Jail.
Chuntae Kelley described her son Ataurus Kelley’s injuries as so severe that his head was swollen to the size of a pumpkin after being attacked by about a dozen inmates.
“They’re gonna kill him down there,” she told Channel 2’s Tom Jones.
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Sheriff Levon Allen has filed a lawsuit against county commissioners, claiming budget restrictions are causing understaffing and overcrowding, which he says leads to assaults.
Ataurus Kelley, 27, was transported to Grady Hospital with bleeding in his brain after the assault. His face, head, neck and ears were swollen, and his eyes were black.
“I wanted to cry, but I was like if I cry then he’s gonna cry,” Chuntae Kelley said.
The mother claimed that the guard on duty allowed the attackers to enter and exit the cell.
Ataurus Kelley was in jail for failing to appear in court after a fight with his brother over a broken computer. His mother argues that he should have been separated from violent inmates.
Sheriff Levon Allen did not respond to request for comment but previously acknowledged the issues of understaffing and overcrowding at the jail, which he says contribute to tension and violence.
Chuntae Kelley said the sheriff told her an investigation is underway, focusing on the guard’s actions and the inmates involved.
Kelley said she was skeptical about the sheriff’s explanation, suggesting that the problem lies not in the number of staff but in their effectiveness.
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