A firearm was inside Smith State Prison for a year before it was used by an inmate against a food service worker before the inmate took his own life. Additionally, officials with GDC were aware of the gun inside the facility days before the incident occurred.
The testimony on the presence of the gun came from the testimony made by an investigator with the Georgia Department of Corrections at a hearing in Tattnall County Superior Court.
Background
On Sunday, June 16, 2024, Aureon Grace, a food service worker employed by Aramark who was working at Smith State Prison, was shot and killed by inmate Jaydrekus Hart inside the prison in Tattnall County. Hart then turned the gun on himself, taking his own life.
Testimony from GDC Investigator
Special Agent Justin Fountain, who works for the GDC CID, testified on the details of the incident and the subsequent investigation in a related criminal proceeding.
Fountain alleged in his testimony that a woman known to GDC CID for approximately two years in connection with a “large-scale criminal network within the Department of Corrections” facilitated the gun making its way into the prison, along with at least three other individuals.
The woman, Fountain said, was involved with an inmate, which investigators determined through multiple contraband cell phones that were seized from the inmate between 2020 and 2024. This enterprise, which involved other inmates and other correctional facilities, was part of an open and ongoing investigation at the time of the murder-suicide.
According to Fountain, the gun was allegedly smuggled into Smith SP for the purposes of organizing an escape for the coordinating inmate, who is serving a life sentence.
Fountain also testified that:
- The package, which included the gun, was thrown over the fence of the prison. Tobacco and clothing were also included in the drop and what investigators believe to be a quantity of drugs.
- This drop occurred some time between June 30, 2023 and July 10, 2023.
- The coordinating inmate sent pictures of the gun to others on the contraband cell phone as early as January 1, 2024.
- After the drop, the gun was obtained by the inmate GDC believes coordinated the drop and then moved to the kitchen by a second inmate. The two inmates were later moved to segregation due to contraband issues (phones and other items), so they ‘entrusted’ Jaydrekus Hart and another inmate to keep the gun ‘moving around.’
- The Georgia Department of Corrections knew about the gun’s existence inside Smith State Prison prior to the murder-suicide.
During cross examination of Agent Fountain by Public Defender Ginny Purdee during the criminal proceeding, Purdee pressed Fountain on what GDC knew and when they knew it.
Purdee: Okay, well starting from the drop, when was the first time you got his text messages in regards to the drop?
Fountain: To that drop?
Purdee: Yes, the drop with the gun.
Fountain: June 30th of ‘23.
Purdee: When did you acquire those text messages? Not when did he send them. When did you know about them?
Fountain: Oh, I would have to look at that. I don’t have it in front of me.
Purdee: Before the murder-suicide?
Fountain: Well – yes. Way before the murder-suicide.
Purdee: So you knew there was a gun?
Fountain: No, no, no.
…
Purdee: You got to get what I’m asking, right? Like, when did…
Assistant DA Melissa Poole: “Your honor, I’m going to just object. I know what she’s trying to get here, but at the same time, we got to either be a little more polite in how you’re kind of badgering the witness –
Purdee: I’m sorry.
…
The Court: No. I just think it’s just a misunderstanding between —
Fountain: Yeah, I –
The Court: Can somebody rephrase my question for me? You – I have no objection.
ADA Poole: I mean, just start over, but —
Purdee: Okay.
ADA Poole: – what are you asking him to tell you?
Purdee: When did you know about the gun’s existence? And by you, I mean, police, GDC, CID.
Fountain: June 13, 2024 is when we knew.
June 13, 2024 was a Thursday. The murder suicide happened the following Sunday – on June 16, 2024.
Warden
Jacob Beasley has been the Warden at Smith State Prison since the arrest of Warden Brian Adams in early 2023. When Commissioner Tyrone Oliver appointed Beasley in February 2023, he said in a press release:
“I have confidence in his commitment and dedication to the mission, and in his ability to ensure staff integrity and safe facility operations are paramount as he takes on his role at Smith SP.”
Despite the murder-suicide in June 2024 and the murder of Smith SP Correctional Officer Robert Clark by an inmate in October 2023, Beasley remains at the helm.
