[VIDEO] Prayer Vigil for Shali Tilson in Rockdale

Friends and supporters gathered on Saturday, Sept. 15, to remember 22-year-old Shali Tilson, who died during a nine-day stay at the Rockdale County Jail. Tilson was in jail on misdemeanor charges reportedly waiting for his family to come up with the money to post bond.

According to an internal report by the Sheriff’s Office recently released last week to the media by Tilson’s attorney, Mawuli Davis, the mentally ill man was neglected. Jail logs were falsified to state that mandatory 15-minute checks on Tilson were made, Davis said.

Tilson begged for help, pressing a call button that was inoperative, according to Sheriff Eric Levett ’s internal report. Tilson died of severe dehydration, a coroner’s report determined.

Tilson’s case remains in limbo, six months after he died. The District Attorney is now investigating the case.