FBI And Texas Rangers Launch Investigations Into Harris County Jails

[Biff_Poindexter]

Another dies in Harris County Jail from 'apparent medical emergency'

Ramon Thomas, 30, died Saturday in Harris County Jail custody, marking the jail's ninth official in-custody death so far this year.

www.chron.com

"Another Harris County Jail detainee has died in custody following "an apparent medical emergency," marking the jail's ninth official in-custody death so far this year. Ramon Thomas, 30, died on Saturday, July 1 after he was "found unresponsive with a low pulse in his cell," according to a Monday release from the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Thomas' death comes weeks after Robert Terry, 32, also died of "an apparent medical emergency" four days after authorities booked him into the jail. Terry's family says he was healthy and had zero underlying health conditions when he entered the jail. The Texas Rangers have opened an investigation into Thomas' death per state law requiring a probe from an outside law enforcement agency into all jail deaths. Harris County Jail has consistently failed to meet the state's minimum standards for medical care for detainees. The jail flunked a Texas Commission on Jail Standards' inspection in March after investigators found the jail was failing to follow medical providers' treatment orders for detainees and failing to treat medical issues in a timely manner."

"This in addition to over 40 deaths in Harris County jails in the past 2 years; with one of those deaths leading to the first time a Harris county jail officer has been charged for the death of an inmate. This lead to the FBI launching an investigation of their own.

"For the first time in Harris County, a former detention officer faced a judge in connection with the death of an incarcerated man. "Yes. I believe there's a criminal- crimes committed in this whole transaction," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales said after a three-month investigation back in 2021. He also announced he was firing 11 detention officers who violated policy and possibly the law. Morales is the only one charged."

Former jail officer Eric Morales becomes 1st in Harris Co. to be charged for inmate's death

Since Jaquaree Simmons' 2021 death behind bars, allegedly by beating, the county jail has seen the most inmate deaths in a decade, and 2023 is outpacing that record.

abc13.com

Now I know its real easy to just dismiss a guy in jail dying in custody; and its even easier to dismiss horrible conditions in the jail..After all, they are in jail....But once I saw all of the outrage and protest over the treatment of Jan 6th prisoners in DC jails, I wondered how outraged would those people be if 2 or 3 of those detainees died in jail custody? You know, those same people who would dismiss the deaths of inmates like Ramon Thomas or Matthew Shelton in Harris county. If we are going to be in favor of jail reform and improving things like access to healthcare in jails; we should demand it for all of the jail inmates. As the House GOP themselves said of the jail conditions for the Jan 6th inmates:

“No prisoner in the United States should be treated in this fashion.” The GOP lawmakers said they were investigating reports that Trump supporters had been subjected to “inhumane treatment” during their incarceration and flagged concerns that the district was “violating detainees’ constitutional and human rights.”

Now, I haven't heard anything since about that GOP probe..mainly because when people dug deeper, the complaints were things like the QaNon Shaman not having access to pesticide free foods so they moved him to a different jail in Arizona; a far cry from the conditions I am sure the majority of people face in Harry County jails. I mean, as I said, the amount of deaths in the past 2 months alone (including the arrest of a jailer) - I would think an investigation is warranted. Unless this faux concern for detainees only applies to just a select few.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Another dies in Harris County Jail from 'apparent medical emergency'

Ramon Thomas, 30, died Saturday in Harris County Jail custody, marking the jail's ninth official in-custody death so far this year.

www.chron.com

"Another Harris County Jail detainee has died in custody following "an apparent medical emergency," marking the jail's ninth official in-custody death so far this year. Ramon Thomas, 30, died on Saturday, July 1 after he was "found unresponsive with a low pulse in his cell," according to a Monday release from the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Thomas' death comes weeks after Robert Terry, 32, also died of "an apparent medical emergency" four days after authorities booked him into the jail. Terry's family says he was healthy and had zero underlying health conditions when he entered the jail. The Texas Rangers have opened an investigation into Thomas' death per state law requiring a probe from an outside law enforcement agency into all jail deaths. Harris County Jail has consistently failed to meet the state's minimum standards for medical care for detainees. The jail flunked a Texas Commission on Jail Standards' inspection in March after investigators found the jail was failing to follow medical providers' treatment orders for detainees and failing to treat medical issues in a timely manner."

"This in addition to over 40 deaths in Harris County jails in the past 2 years; with one of those deaths leading to the first time a Harris county jail officer has been charged for the death of an inmate. This lead to the FBI launching an investigation of their own.

"For the first time in Harris County, a former detention officer faced a judge in connection with the death of an incarcerated man. "Yes. I believe there's a criminal- crimes committed in this whole transaction," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales said after a three-month investigation back in 2021. He also announced he was firing 11 detention officers who violated policy and possibly the law. Morales is the only one charged."

Former jail officer Eric Morales becomes 1st in Harris Co. to be charged for inmate's death

Since Jaquaree Simmons' 2021 death behind bars, allegedly by beating, the county jail has seen the most inmate deaths in a decade, and 2023 is outpacing that record.

abc13.com

Now I know its real easy to just dismiss a guy in jail dying in custody; and its even easier to dismiss horrible conditions in the jail..After all, they are in jail....But once I saw all of the outrage and protest over the treatment of Jan 6th prisoners in DC jails, I wondered how outraged would those people be if 2 or 3 of those detainees died in jail custody? You know, those same people who would dismiss the deaths of inmates like Ramon Thomas or Matthew Shelton in Harris county. If we are going to be in favor of jail reform and improving things like access to healthcare in jails; we should demand it for all of the jail inmates. As the House GOP themselves said of the jail conditions for the Jan 6th inmates:

“No prisoner in the United States should be treated in this fashion.” The GOP lawmakers said they were investigating reports that Trump supporters had been subjected to “inhumane treatment” during their incarceration and flagged concerns that the district was “violating detainees’ constitutional and human rights.”

Now, I haven't heard anything since about that GOP probe..mainly because when people dug deeper, the complaints were things like the QaNon Shaman not having access to pesticide free foods so they moved him to a different jail in Arizona; a far cry from the conditions I am sure the majority of people face in Harry County jails. I mean, as I said, the amount of deaths in the past 2 months alone (including the arrest of a jailer) - I would think an investigation is warranted. Unless this faux concern for detainees only applies to just a select few.

You see, this is just one reason why America is more free and accountable. We have record dead in Ontario jails, I even posted some details on here. Often there are scant details, even not informing the next of kin! Nary a peep from the RCMP. THAT tells you all you need to know about this country and it should scare you. If not for our sake,.for the sake that some in America want to be like us!

 

[Biff_Poindexter]

You see, this is just one reason why America is more free and accountable. We have record dead in Ontario jails, I even posted some details on here. Often there are scant details, even not informing the next of kin! Nary a peep from the RCMP. THAT tells you all you need to know and this country and it should scare you.

What is the sentiment among the citizens of Canada? Are they outraged about it or does it not get that much attention in the media there?

 

[White 6]

Another dies in Harris County Jail from 'apparent medical emergency'

Ramon Thomas, 30, died Saturday in Harris County Jail custody, marking the jail's ninth official in-custody death so far this year.

www.chron.com

"Another Harris County Jail detainee has died in custody following "an apparent medical emergency," marking the jail's ninth official in-custody death so far this year. Ramon Thomas, 30, died on Saturday, July 1 after he was "found unresponsive with a low pulse in his cell," according to a Monday release from the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Thomas' death comes weeks after Robert Terry, 32, also died of "an apparent medical emergency" four days after authorities booked him into the jail. Terry's family says he was healthy and had zero underlying health conditions when he entered the jail. The Texas Rangers have opened an investigation into Thomas' death per state law requiring a probe from an outside law enforcement agency into all jail deaths. Harris County Jail has consistently failed to meet the state's minimum standards for medical care for detainees. The jail flunked a Texas Commission on Jail Standards' inspection in March after investigators found the jail was failing to follow medical providers' treatment orders for detainees and failing to treat medical issues in a timely manner."

"This in addition to over 40 deaths in Harris County jails in the past 2 years; with one of those deaths leading to the first time a Harris county jail officer has been charged for the death of an inmate. This lead to the FBI launching an investigation of their own.

"For the first time in Harris County, a former detention officer faced a judge in connection with the death of an incarcerated man. "Yes. I believe there's a criminal- crimes committed in this whole transaction," Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales said after a three-month investigation back in 2021. He also announced he was firing 11 detention officers who violated policy and possibly the law. Morales is the only one charged."

Former jail officer Eric Morales becomes 1st in Harris Co. to be charged for inmate's death

Since Jaquaree Simmons' 2021 death behind bars, allegedly by beating, the county jail has seen the most inmate deaths in a decade, and 2023 is outpacing that record.

abc13.com

Now I know its real easy to just dismiss a guy in jail dying in custody; and its even easier to dismiss horrible conditions in the jail..After all, they are in jail....But once I saw all of the outrage and protest over the treatment of Jan 6th prisoners in DC jails, I wondered how outraged would those people be if 2 or 3 of those detainees died in jail custody? You know, those same people who would dismiss the deaths of inmates like Ramon Thomas or Matthew Shelton in Harris county. If we are going to be in favor of jail reform and improving things like access to healthcare in jails; we should demand it for all of the jail inmates. As the House GOP themselves said of the jail conditions for the Jan 6th inmates:

“No prisoner in the United States should be treated in this fashion.” The GOP lawmakers said they were investigating reports that Trump supporters had been subjected to “inhumane treatment” during their incarceration and flagged concerns that the district was “violating detainees’ constitutional and human rights.”

Now, I haven't heard anything since about that GOP probe..mainly because when people dug deeper, the complaints were things like the QaNon Shaman not having access to pesticide free foods so they moved him to a different jail in Arizona; a far cry from the conditions I am sure the majority of people face in Harry County jails. I mean, as I said, the amount of deaths in the past 2 months alone (including the arrest of a jailer) - I would think an investigation is warranted. Unless this faux concern for detainees only applies to just a select few.

There needs to be an investigation into how that county runs its jail. 9 People dead in their jail in a little over 6 months is ridiculous.