Cornelius Taylor was only 46 years old when a bulldozer flattened his encampment, killing him in the process. In response, his family has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Atlanta and the perpetrators. On January 16, a tragic accident occurred during a sweep of an encampment. This site was only a few blocks from the original historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. The suit names the city and seven unnamed employees of the city. It accuses defendants of negligence, arguing that they did not properly assess tents for people inside before beginning destruction of the encampment with the bulldozer.
Now Cornelius Taylor, 38, was in his tent with the bulldozer strutted in and demolished it, killing him. An autopsy conducted days later showed he suffered extensive blunt force trauma. He had shattered pelvic bone, extensive damage to major organs and massive internal bleeding. Local advocates and a leader of the encampment are fuming about what took place. They’ve been vocal against the city’s methods of clearing homeless encampments.
Darlene Chaney, Taylor’s sister, shared her pain at a press conference announcing the lawsuit. Her poignant emotional testimony painted a picture of the deep, lasting effects her brother’s fatal overdose had on their family. She expressed regret at only having one brother remaining to “torment” her. Unfortunately, that just served to underscore the gap Taylor’s absence left.
“We’re here, just because someone, in my own personal opinion, was lazy,” – Darlene Chaney
The lawsuit, which was filed in Fulton County State Court. It seeks damages in an unspecified amount and reimbursement for medical expenses, funeral expenses, and legal fees. It asks for a jury trial and highlights the family’s insistence on holding city officials accountable. Local advocates have condemned the actions leading to Taylor’s death as “deeply inhumane,” calling attention to the city’s policies on clearing encampments.
Harold Spence, an advocate for the homeless, stated that “a tent that was occupied by a human being was crushed by this heavy equipment. That’s obviously wrong.” He reminded them that the unimaginable tragedy they are still processing and mourning should have been preventable. An easy inspection of the tent could have changed the result completely.
“Nobody looked inside the tent, and if someone who looked inside had taken 10 seconds to do so, this tragedy could have been averted. And if you don’t know what’s inside, you don’t crush it,” – Harold Spence
Since April 2024, the city has engaged with individuals living in the encampment and has placed many into shelters, according to Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for Home. Despite these efforts, Taylor’s family believes there is an urgency to act now. They care about the growing number of people living outside.
The move comes after their city in April closed the camp where Taylor lived, providing residents of the camp housing embedded with supportive services. His family contends that these types of protections were too little and too late, done wrong. They’re urging the administration to lead the way in removing bureaucratic barriers and accelerating the delivery of housing solutions for others like them who are equally vulnerable.
“The incident involving Mr. Taylor was a tragedy,” – A spokesperson for Mayor Andre Dickens
Cornelius Taylor was an avid reader, enjoying everything from science fiction novels to the Bible. His passion for the written word was the cornerstone of his existence. It proved that he was more than a statistic; he was a young man with interests and aspirations.