Home › Intelligence › Personnel Accountability › Scott-Gist, Laura C
Scott-Gist, Laura C
Status: active
Profile written June 14, 2026
This profile reflects positional accountability — this individual held the leadership roles shown during the dates shown, during which the listed deaths or lawsuits occurred. Inclusion does not constitute a legal finding of personal culpability for any specific incident.
Tenure Summary
Laura C. Scott-Gist entered the Georgia Department of Corrections in 2017, serving in a series of training, education, and behavioral health counseling roles without a permanent facility assignment. In 2022, she was appointed Correctional Assistant Superintendent at Helms Facility, a transitional and medical unit in DeKalb County, a position she has held through 2025. GPS records attribute six deaths during her facility-leadership tenure, all occurring at Helms Facility between January 2022 and July 2023. No lawsuits, intel reports, or news mentions have been linked to Scott-Gist’s time at Helms.What happened on their watch
Scott-Gist assumed the role of Correctional Assistant Superintendent at Helms Facility on January 1, 2022. From that date through July 2023, six incarcerated men died while held at the facility:- Mitchell LeBron Dunn, 60, died on January 26, 2022. According to DeKalb County Medical Examiner case records, the manner was natural, caused by lung cancer.
- Kenneth Clyde, 65, died on February 25, 2022. The cause of death, per GPS records, falls under category 6 (cause not specified in available records).
- Walton Jerome Thomas, 56, died on June 26, 2022. Similarly, his death is classified under category 6.
- Frank Eugene Huffman, 66, died on April 23, 2023. DeKalb County ME case notes describe a natural manner, with cardiac issues, cirrhosis, liver cell carcinoma, COPD, and coronary artery disease. He had been transferred from Washington State Prison to Helms, a medical facility, as his health declined.
- Robert Lee Hines, 63, died on May 17, 2023. Cause category 6.
- James Michael Stafford, 59, died on July 20, 2023. The DeKalb County ME determined a natural death from a gastrointestinal bleed, hepatitis, and liver cancer. He was found unresponsive around 4:00 a.m., and correctional officers called 911.
All six deaths occurred within Scott-Gist’s first 19 months as assistant superintendent. The deceased ranged in age from 56 to 66; four deaths were from natural causes with specific terminal illnesses documented, while two remain categorized only as “category 6” in GPS records, indicating an undetermined or unspecified cause. The presence of multiple hospice-eligible transfers, such as that of Frank Eugene Huffman, aligns with Helms Facility’s role as a medical-receiving unit for the state system. No allegations of misconduct or lawsuits have been filed against Scott-Gist in connection with these deaths.
Litigation
No lawsuits naming Scott-Gist as a defendant are recorded.Sources
- GPS personnel and deaths-attribution data
- DeKalb County Medical Examiner case files (22-0216, 23-0770, 23-1277)
Positions Held
| Title | Facility | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT | HELMS FACILITY | 2022-01-01 → present |
| BEHAVIORAL HLTH COUNSELOR 2 | 2020-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | |
| EDUCATION PRGM SPEC 3 | 2018-01-01 → 2019-12-31 | |
| TRAINING & DEV SPEC 3 | 2017-01-01 → 2017-12-31 |
Deaths attributed during tenure
6 people died at facilities under Scott-Gist, Laura C's leadership.
| Date | Decedent | Age | Facility | Role at time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-20 | JAMES MICHAEL STAFFORD | 59 | HELMS FACILITY | CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT |
| 2023-05-17 | ROBERT LEE HINES | 63 | HELMS FACILITY | CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT |
| 2023-04-23 | FRANK EUGENE HUFFMAN | 66 | HELMS FACILITY | CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT |
| 2022-06-26 | WALTON JEROME THOMAS | 56 | HELMS FACILITY | CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT |
| 2022-02-25 | KENNETH CLYDE | 65 | HELMS FACILITY | CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT |
| 2022-01-26 | MITCHELL LEBRON DUNN | 60 | HELMS FACILITY | CORRECTIONAL ASST. SUPT |
Submit a correction
If you are the named individual or an authorized representative and dispute information on this page, submit details below. Substantiated corrections are applied promptly. Disputes that remain unresolved are flagged on the profile.