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The CHAMPION
The official legal organ of Malb County, EA. Seiving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookbaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stonecrest and Stone Mountain, j 50$
SEPTEMBER 1 - 7, 2022 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com VOL 32 • NO. 10
Lawsuit states sheriff did not stop
inmates from sexually harassing
female jail employees
DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox speaks about safety at an event
held at the DeKalb County Jail in 2021. Photo by Christine Fonville.
Registered voters in DeKalb
County can begin casting an
absentee ballot for the Nov. 8
General Election by visiting www.
dekalbvotes.com. Photo by
Christine Fonville
Absentee ballot
application process
begins for general
election in November
Registered voters in
DeKalb County looking to
cast an absentee ballot
for the Nov. 8 General
Election can begin the
process now by visiting
www.dekalbvotes.com. The
application is the first step
in obtaining an absentee
ballot and voters who plan
to vote absentee are highly
encouraged to apply right
away, according to officials
with DeKalb County Voter
Registration and Elections
(VRE).
An application for an
absentee ballot can be
submitted in several ways:
1. Print and fill out the
application online at
www.dekalbvotes.com,
sign the application,
take a photo or scan
and email to voterreg@
dekalbcountyga.gov.
Remember to include ID
information.
2. Print out the application
from www.dekalbvotes.
com, fill it out, and hand
deliver or mail to 4380
Memorial Drive, Suite
300, Decatur, GA 30032.
3. Print out the application
SEE VOTING PAGE 6
BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE
CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
Six women who have
been employed by the
DeKalb County Sheriff's
Office have filed a lawsuit
against Sheriff Melody
Maddox, stating that
"inmates are constantly a
threat to female detention
officers' safety, and they
are not held accountable
for their dangerous and
harassing behavior."
The lawsuit, filed
on Aug. 19, states
that "Maddox and the
DeKalb County Sheriff's
Office have maintained,
on a systemic level, a
working environment
that is sexually hostile to
the plaintiffs and other
female staff of the DeKalb
County Jail, by acting with
deliberate indifference
to endemic, well-known
sexual harassment of
female staff by inmates."
Documented in the
lawsuit is alleged sexual
harassment that occurred
for years, with one plaintiff
stating she has worked
"under the leadership of
three different sheriffs
during her tenure. The
sexually hostile work
environment was the worst
under the current sheriff,
Maddox."
Graphic claims in the
lawsuit include inmates
masturbating in front of
female staff, exposing
genitals, and threatening to
rape female staff.
One plaintiff claims
in the lawsuit that after
an inmate attempted to
commit "an aggressive and
sexual act, the inmate was
never punished, and (the
plaintiff) was subject to
constant taunts from the
inmate about the lack of
punishment."
Most of the plaintiffs
listed in the lawsuit said
they resigned as "a result
of the sexually hostile work
environment."
The lawsuit also lists
safety issues that made the
plaintiffs fearful at work,
including inmates "popping
out of their cells due to
compromised cell door
locks."
"The detention officers
repeatedly voiced concerns
and completed written
disciplinary citations
regarding out-of-control
inmate behavior; however,
no corrective action was
taken, and the behavior
has continued," states the
lawsuit.
The plaintiffs are being
represented by Decatur-
based attorney James
Radford of Radford and
Keegan.
DeKalb County Sheriff's
Office Public Information
Officer Cynthia Williams
said, "The agency does
not comment on pending
litigation," when asked for
comments.
Former DeKalb Interim CEO
Lee May (pictured) signed an
executive order to create the
charter review commission in
2016. File photo
Public opinion
sought on
DeKalb s form
of government
BY JAY PHILLIPS
JAY@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
The DeKalb County
Charter Review Commission
will hold its first public
hearing on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.
at the Manuel J. Maloof
Center, 1300 Commerce
Drive, Decatur.
According to a news
release, DeKalb County
officials are seeking public
input while "the Charter
Review Commission
thoroughly examines the
County's current form of
government and delivery
of services to all DeKalb
citizens."
County officials said the
goal of the commission is
"identifying ways to improve
the form of government to
its highest quality and most
efficient form," and that
DeKalb County's "current
form of government derived
from a study done in 1979."
The commission was
created by an executive
SEE REVIEW PAGE 6
I
DeKalb History Center opens 1997
time capsule and new exhibit PAGE 2
Daytona Beach has new
accommodation option
PAGE 14
