Houston Chronicle: Harris County inmate dies of ‘medical emergency,’ sheriff says, marking sixth jail death this year
May 18, 2023
An inmate died Tuesday morning at Harris County Jail after experiencing an "apparent medical emergency," the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.
Topics: 2023news, Custody Death, Jail Conditions, Medical
Krish Gundu, executive director of the Texas Jail Project, said her organization has received numerous complaints about inmates being denied medical care.
Terry was being held on $30,000 bail and did not appear at his Saturday bail hearing due to an unnamed health condition, according to court records. Gundu said Terry should have been taken to the hospital instead of being held on bond.
“It is deeply frustrating to keep hearing about people dying in our jail ‘in apparent medical emergencies’ given how many complaints we get from people locked up inside, about being denied timely medical care.”
The jail is currently under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation over the recent deaths of two men in custody. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez called on the agency to review the deaths.