An inmate at the Fulton County Jail died after being stabbed multiple times by another inmate on Thursday evening.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that Edward Cherry, 36, stabbed an inmate who was housed in the same zone at the jail at 6:24 p.m. A sheriff’s office spokesperson confirmed that Cherry has been charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of firearm or knife during commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies.
Leonard Fortner, age 37, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and was pronounced dead at 7:39 p.m.
Fortner was arrested on Jan. 2 by the Atlanta Police Department and charged with criminal property damage. He was being held without bond.
Cherry had been held without bond for four years as of today, April 5, on numerous charges including kidnapping and aggravated assault, according to the release.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy on the inmate. The Atlanta Police Department is investigating the stabbing death.
The troubled Fulton County Jail is under multiple investigations, including by the U.S. Justice Department, for conditions at the facility. Ten inmates died at the jail in 2023.
