Atlanta’s pre-arrest diversion system is facing renewed scrutiny after records showed a man accused of killing 23-year-old Alyssa Paige on the Beltline received mental health services 12 days before the attack.
Jahmare Brown was referred to the Center for Diversion and Services after allegedly pulling a knife on a man who greeted him on Peachtree Street, WSB-TV reported. The man and responding officer agreed to diversion instead of arrest. Authorities have not disclosed what treatment or follow-up Brown received.
Investigators say Brown attacked a postal worker with a rock May 14 before fatally stabbing Paige near the Beltline’s Northeast and Eastside trails. The Atlanta Police Department charged Brown, 21, with murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The diversion center is a partnership among Atlanta, Fulton County and Grady Health System. It offers behavioral health screenings, basic services and connections to housing and treatment. Police policy permits diversion for nonviolent conduct linked to a mental health crisis, substance use, homelessness or extreme poverty, but excludes people considered a substantial risk to themselves or others.
The case has focused attention on a contract dispute involving the Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative, which had provided long-term case management at the center. Capital B Atlanta reported the organization stopped working there in late March, while the city said Grady staff prevented service interruptions. Atlanta police said more than 1,800 people completed diversion services from January through May.
The records leave key questions unresolved, including how Brown was evaluated, whether he followed a treatment plan and which agency was responsible for continued care. The fatal attack remains under investigation as city officials defend diversion as an alternative for eligible people accused of nonviolent offenses.
