The Georgia jail that mistakenly released a convicted murderer said no one will be disciplined for what happened.
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office realized a mistake was made after the murder victim's family saw the murderer on the streets.
"Sounds like somebody didn't relay the right information or didn't look," one DeKalb County resident said.
Jail officials said they didn't know Javoris Hurston had recently pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Fulton County.
"So, there's a murderer on the street again?" one resident asked.
Hurston had been free two days before a fugitive squad located him and put him back in jail.
DeKalb County officials realized the mistake after the family of murder victim, 51-year-old Barry Hawkins, saw Hurston on the streets and called wondering how he got out.
"I don't know this family, but I sympathize with them," said a mother who also lost a son to murder.
Hawkins was killed in 2015 in Atlanta. Hurston was arrested and was freed on bond. Soon after, he was arrested in DeKalb County on aggravated assault charges.
In June 2017, Hurston was returned to Fulton County, where he pleaded guilty to Hawkins’ killing and received a 20-year prison sentence.
Then he was sent back to the DeKalb County Jail to answer the aggravated assault charges. The charges were dropped Feb. 15. The jail then released Hurston.
DeKalb officials say Fulton County officials didn't send over the disposition of the murder case, so it released Hurston.
Fulton County officials are looking into what information it sent.
Residents feel bad for Hawkins’ family.
"My prayers go out to them because that’s not right. It is not right," Butler said.
The DeKalb jail says no procedural errors were made by its employees, so no one will be disciplined.
Hurston is back in the Fulton County Jail awaiting transfer to state prison.
About the Author
