Ivey, George

Tenure Summary

George Ivey's GDC record begins with a Deputy Warden of Security posting at Hancock State Prison in 2010, followed by a 2015 correction-administration staff year at the central office (salary $44,332.56), then a Deputy Warden run at Hancock spanning 2016 through 2022. He was promoted to Interim Warden at Hancock on July 1, 2023, a role he held through December 31, 2024, and was subsequently recorded as Warden 3 — at Georgia State Prison for calendar 2025, at Hancock on a single-date record of August 27, 2026, and at Baldwin State Prison in an open-ended Warden posting that begins September 6, 2026.

GPS's death registry attributes 15 deaths to Ivey's tenure, all 15 at Hancock State Prison, spanning March 13, 2020 to October 13, 2024. Eight are recorded as homicides, two as suicides, three as Natural/Medical, one as Other, and one as Unknown/Pending. At least five state liability payouts tied to Hancock are logged in the GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger, including $600,000 (2019 incident), $437,500 (2021), and $424,710.20 (2022). He is named as a defendant in multiple federal suits filed in GAMD.

What happened on their watch

Hancock State Prison — Deputy Warden (2016–2022). The registry records ten deaths at Hancock during Ivey's years as Deputy Warden. Cesar Arnold Pastrana died March 13, 2020, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. Xaysana Thao died December 20, 2020, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. Rashad Bolton died January 4, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide — his parents filed a lawsuit claiming he was stabbed to death, and the settlement ledger records a $437,500 payout tied to Hancock (2021 incident). Dwayne Zackery died February 12, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide — death data state he was stabbed in the chest with a homemade knife by his cellmate. Michael Anthony Brown died June 26, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. Terrill Bernard Howard died October 17, 2021, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Other. Charles Tristen Mckee died May 23, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. The DOJ investigation found that McKee, who identified as LGBTQ, was stabbed repeatedly after jumping through stair railings trying to escape gang members, and that he had asked to be moved the day before, stating his life was in danger; the settlement ledger records a $424,710.20 payout tied to Hancock (2022 incident). Antione Lamar Bush died June 18, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. Terry Lee Bishop died October 18, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. Zackery Phillip Brown died December 23, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide. Norman Jackson Samples died December 27, 2022, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide.

Hancock State Prison — Interim Warden (July 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024). Four deaths fall in this period. Francisco Melgar-Saldivar died August 12, 2023, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide — a claim filed against the state alleges he was not provided appropriate medical care after being attacked by another prisoner. Timothy Dale Hicks died August 22, 2023, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Suicide. Ralph Thompson died October 8, 2024, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. Travon Montrell Walthour died October 13, 2024, at Hancock State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide — GDC incident report data state four other prisoners were involved. Also during this tenure, a 2024 U.S. Department of Justice report described violence, sexual assaults and gang-run prisons in Georgia, fueled by what it called a culture of indifference. Federal suits Garrison v. Ivey (filed September 13, 2023), Spradlin v. Toby (August 29, 2023) and Ballard v. Ivey (October 16, 2024) were filed while he held this role.

Georgia State Prison — Warden 3 (2025). Two AJC reports dated January 21, 2025 allege that officials failed to intervene and provide proper medical care to Brandon Peters, who suffered for days from severe symptoms before dying in his cell, and that a prisoner was sexually assaulted by his cellmate, had his food stolen for months, and was found severely malnourished with spinal bruising, a jaw fracture and human bite marks while staff failed to notice. Suits Ballard v. Ivey (filed April 1, 2025) and Jones v. Holt (filed June 25, 2025) were filed while he held this role.

Hancock State Prison — Warden 3 (record dated August 27, 2026). No further details in the records.

Baldwin State Prison — Warden (from September 6, 2026). An inside report to GPS dated October 10, 2026 describes facility-wide water being off for much of a day, widespread indigestion the reporter suspected was linked to a broken water pipe or mold on food trays, daily fights in one housing area, only a few officers said to remain, an informal market in state clothing and sheets that feeds theft, and earlier reports of stabbings or beatings every few days, officers allowing men from other dorms in, and yard access only once in weeks.

Litigation

• Jones v. Holt, 5:25-cv-00271, GAMD, filed June 25, 2025 — pending.
• Ballard v. Ivey, 5:25-cv-00130, GAMD, filed April 1, 2025, closed June 25, 2025 — terminated.
• Ballard v. Ivey, 5:24-cv-00377, GAMD, filed October 16, 2024, closed November 7, 2024 — terminated.
• Garrison v. Ivey, 5:23-cv-00348, GAMD, filed September 13, 2023, closed February 12, 2025 — terminated.
• Spradlin v. Toby, 5:23-cv-00328, GAMD, filed August 29, 2023 — pending.
• Grant v. Ward, 5:22-cv-00396, GAMD, filed November 7, 2022, closed August 28, 2025 — terminated.
• Grant v. Washington, 5:21-cv-00427, GAMD, filed December 1, 2021, closed September 16, 2022 — terminated.
• Tilman v. Sellers, 5:15-cv-00085, GAMD, filed March 13, 2015, closed February 9, 2016 — terminated.

Settlement ledger entries tied to Hancock State Prison: $600,000 (Geberyesus Yemane Selassie, 2019 incident), $437,500 (Rashad Bolton, 2021), $424,710.20 (Charles McKee, 2022), $13,800 (Freedie Barnes, 2016), and $250 (Rico Sterling, 2016), per GA DOAS Risk Management records.

Sources

• Georgia Prisoners' Speak death registry — 15 deaths attributed to Ivey's Hancock State Prison tenure, March 2020 – October 2024
• GA DOAS Risk Management settlement ledger (Open Records) — five Hancock State Prison payouts, 2016–2022 incidents
• U.S. Department of Justice — 2024 report on violence, sexual assault and gang-run prisons in Georgia
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution — January 21, 2025 allegations concerning Brandon Peters and a second prisoner at Georgia State Prison; investigative reporting on settlement costs
• Inside report to GPS (email) — Baldwin State Prison conditions, October 10, 2026
• Court records via CourtListener — Jones v. Holt, Ballard v. Ivey (2024, 2025), Garrison v. Ivey, Spradlin v. Toby, Grant v. Ward, Grant v. Washington, Tilman v. Sellers (GAMD)

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Oct 11, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.