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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The U.S. Marshals Service has confirmed it is moving roughly 400 federal detainees awaiting trial in Atlanta from a facility in Clayton County to one about 200 miles farther south, closer to the Florida border.

 The relocation process will be conducted in a manner that prioritizes the safety, security, continuity of medical care, and access to legal counsel of the detainees, and is estimated to be completed by October 31,  said a U.S. Marshals spokesperson, on Friday.

The move is facing pushback from defense attorneys, Atlanta judges and both U.S. senators from Georgia.

Chief judge's letter to DOJ

Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May sent a letter dated Aug. 12 to R. Trent McCotter, principal associate deputy attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice, requesting continued use of RADD, Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility in Lovejoy.

 Because of specific circumstances that exist in our district, ceasing to use RADD to house pre-trial detainees would be a catastrophe,  May wrote.

She wrote that housing detainees in Irwin County  would require USMS, the Judiciary, and other stakeholders to spend substantial time and money traveling between Atlanta and Ocilla. She added,  The result would be an inefficient waste of taxpayer dollars. 

May wrote that housing detainees in Irwin County would create scheduling difficulties and  result in delayed and cancelled proceedings, detrimentally impacting the Court's ability to handle criminal cases quickly and to conduct criminal trials. 

May wrote that according to Acting U.S. Marshal Stephen Serrao, the decision not to renew the RADD contract is based on compliance issues discovered at the facility over the past 12 months.

She wrote that RADD  has made significant personnel changes and has made positive progress towards compliance,  and that the Irwin County Detention Center  has experienced its own controversies, including being subject to a U.S. Senate investigation into inhumane practices at the facility. 

Senators seek answers

Senators J

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