In the late hours of a Thursday in May 2015, a verbal argument inside an apartment on Ira Street in southwest Atlanta escalated to a fatal conclusion. Barry Hawkins, a 51-year-old African American man, was shot in the leg. He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital but ultimately succumbed to the gunshot wound on May 21, 2015.
The primary suspect identified in the shooting was Javoris Hurston.
Following an investigation, Hurston was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with Hawkins' death. In a turn of events, Hurston was initially released on bond. However, his freedom was short-lived as he was soon re-arrested in the neighboring DeKalb County on unrelated aggravated assault charges. This second arrest would lead to a confusing and distressing chapter in the pursuit of justice for Barry Hawkins.
In June 2015, Javoris Hurston pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Barry Hawkins and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Despite this conviction, a significant error in communication between the Fulton and DeKalb County jails led to Hurston's mistaken release. Officials in DeKalb County were reportedly unaware of his guilty plea and sentence in Fulton County. When the aggravated assault charges in DeKalb were dropped, Hurston was set free. The error was only discovered two days later when Hawkins' own family spotted Hurston on the streets and immediately alerted the authorities. A fugitive task force was then deployed, and Hurston was swiftly taken back into custody to begin serving his sentence.
