ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — A special grand jury has determined a mentally ill inmate’s death was preventable, leaving the door open for charges despite a determination that most employees did not intentionally harm the man.
Shali Tilson died in his cell shortly after a March 2018 arrest for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and obstruction. At the time, Tilson was seen in body camera video having what his family called an episode tied to schizophrenia. He was placed on suicide watch, and died days later from lung blood clouts caused by dehydration, according to a GBI autopsy.
[READ: Records show deputy resignation, suspension in inmate death investigation]
A Channel 2 Action News/Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation revealed deputy punishment and one resignation after an internal Sheriff's Office probe concluded welfare checks were not conducted properly, a help call button that Tilson tried to use was not working, and several other policy violations.
In one case, a deputy named Sgt. Dan Lang resigned after investigators found he falsified suicide watch logs on Tilson. Lang later faced charges in an unrelated, stolen weapons case.
[READ: Lawyers: Videos show inhumane treatment before jail death]
The Sept. 19 grand jury report was posted to the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on Thursday morning, with acknowledgement that the office had already started implementing recommendations outlined by the special grand jury.
The fact-finding group did not have the power to indict, per the District Attorney's office, but left recommendation review to future grand juries. That includes a recommendation for the district attorney to figure out whether Lang should face charges.
[READ: Ex-Rockdale sheriffs sergeant booked in stolen guns, cash case]
Tilson’s legal team plans to address the findings on Friday. They’ve filed a civil lawsuit in the case, in which the county and Rockdale Sheriff’s Office have requested dismissal. They’ve also encouraged a federal probe of Tilson’s death.