Topline
The sheriff in Houston’s Harris County fired 11 employees Friday in connection with the death of a jail inmate in February who was repeatedly hit in the head by guards and then left alone in his jail cell.
Houston, Texas.
Key Facts
About a week after he was booked into Harris County Jail on gun charges in February, Jaquaree Simmons died of blunt force trauma to the head, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a statement Friday, citing a local medical examiner’s office.
An investigation by Gonzalez’s office found jail employees used force against Simmons several times in a single day, repeatedly striking him in the face and head after he clogged his toilet and charged at an officer — and despite orders from medical staff, the guards didn’t take Simmons to get an X-ray after these clashes.
Guards left Simmons in his cell overnight, failed to conduct hourly rounds and then found him unresponsive the next day, according to the investigation.
Gonzalez fired 11 staffers for violating use-of-force policies and other rules, claiming they abused their power and “escalated, rather than de-escalated, the situation.”
Another six employees were suspended without pay and put on probation.
Crucial Quote
“These 11 people betrayed my trust and the trust of our community,” Gonzalez wrote. “Their conduct toward Mr. Simmons was reprehensible. They showed complete disregard for the safety and well-being of a person they were directly responsible for protecting.”
Key Background
Simmons’ death took place during Texas’ brutal winter storm in February. The jail lost electricity during Simmons’ detention, which is why medical staff didn’t immediately conduct an X-ray. “During a natural disaster, we expect to see the very best in our employees,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
Further Reading
Family of inmate who died after Harris County jail confrontation seeks answers (Houston Chronicle)
