Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigative reporter Danny Robbins began examining Georgia's prison doctors in late 2014, detailing how one in five were hired despite state board orders for substandard care and other transgressions. Robbins work eventually spotlighted Dr. Yvon Nazaire, who was licensed without restriction in Georgia and hired for his prison job even though he was in the midst of a three-year probation for negligence in his treatment of patients in New York.
Robbins reported on how two inmates died after their symptoms went untreated for weeks in at Emanuel Women's Facility when Nazaire had responsibility for their care. In response to that March 28 story, the AJC received dozens of calls and emails raising questions about the medical treatment of inmates at Pulaski State Prison, a larger facility where Nazaire has been the medical director for nine years.
Robbins then began seeking to determine how many inmates have died at Pulaski after being in Nazaire’s care and whether those deaths also occurred under questionable circumstances. He then reported on the questionable deaths of seven other women.
Robbins' coverage of Nazaire was recently named a finalist for the Atlanta Press Club's 2015 Awards of Excellence. Here is a look back at some of the investigations that were produced as a result of his work:
• Deaths of two women inmates put focus on Georgia prison doctor (March 28, 2015)
• Women's deaths add to concerns about Georgia prison doctor (July 19, 2015)
• 'Your Honor, I'm dying': Inmate's death followed two months in Cobb Jail (July 21, 2015)
• Georgia prison doctor under review following critical reports (July 23, 2015)
• Probe of Georgia prison doctor widens (Aug. 21, 2015)
• Georgia prison doctor fired for lying about work history (Oct. 1, 2015)
• Former inmate: 'I probably would have died at Pulaski State Prison' (Oct. 16, 2015)
• GBI probing prison doctor's job application (Oct. 23, 2015)
• Report rebukes prison doctor, says female inmates get lesser care (Dec. 30, 2015)
