Harris County Jail moving to digital mail system to cut down on contraband
A recent investigation by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office highlights an ongoing effort to cut down on contraband smuggled into jails and prisons via paper correspondence. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the county is in the final stages of setting up a digital mail system in the jail.
Harris Co. inmate dies moments after being transported to hospital; Incident won’t be labeled as ‘in custody’ death
A man who died Tuesday after being rushed by ambulance to the hospital from the Harris County Jail, will not be labeled an “in-custody death” because the man was technically released from the jail before he died.
Family of sixth HCSO inmate to die this year seeks details, says he was healthy
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said they are now up to six Harris County Jail inmates who have died while in custody this year. Ongoing questions are swirling even more now about how this keeps happening again, and again, and again.
Harris County Jail continues to fail compliance standards, according to new inspection report
Staffing issues, inmates spending more time in holding cells, staff not following medical orders, or seeing inmate patients in a timely matter continue to plague the Harris County Jail, according to a new state inspection report obtained by KPRC 2 Investigates.
Man sentenced to 25 years back in custody after being released from Harris Co. Jail due to ‘apparent clerical error,’ deputies say
A man sentenced to 25 years who was released from the Harris County Jail Tuesday due to an “apparent clerical error” is back in custody, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted Thursday.
‘It’s not moving quick’: Nearly 800 people charged with murder or capital murder in Harris Co. jail are waiting for trial
A new legislation proposal hopes to address the backlog of court cases statewide by prioritizing murder and capital murder cases. If passed, the law would mandate judges to take up those cases first.
Activists meet with Sheriff Gonzalez on jail issues; Harris County reportedly understaffed by 500 officers
Community activists with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats met with Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez on Thursday to discuss the issues plaguing the county’s jail.
‘We do not have the resources’: Jail deaths the result of Harris County’s failure to invest in resources, not training: Attorney with deputies organization
An attorney for the Harris County Deputies Organization, who’s familiar with Eric Morales’ case, said in custody jail deaths have nothing to do with detention officers’ training. Instead, Robin Foster said they’re the result of a systemic problem that runs much deeper.
Bond set at $100K: Former Harris County Jail detention officer charged in 2021 inmate death, DA says
A former Harris County Jail detention officer was indicted Thursday and charged in connection to the death of an inmate from 2021, which is the first time charges have been filed for an in-custody death at the jail, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Wrong-way driver suspected of driving while intoxicated with 1-year-old child in vehicle arrested, charged, Pct. 4 says
A woman who is accused of driving the wrong way on the Sam Houston Tollway, possibly intoxicated, while her 1-year-old child was in the vehicle has been arrested and charged, according to deputies with Constable Mark Herman’s Office.
Suspect already out on bond breaks into home, creeps into sleeping 13-year-old’s bedroom, pulls girl’s hair, Pct. 4 says
A suspect went to great lengths to break into a family’s home, then lock himself inside a bedroom with their sleeping teenage daughter, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.
Documents: HCSO jail inmates lace up, boil water, shadowbox to prep for guard-approved assault of another inmate
The document reads like a scene from a prison movie, yet what many perceive to remain in the fictional world, happened right at the Harris County Sheriff's Office Jail in downtown Houston. According to documents obtained by KPRC 2, a lone inmate was brutally attacked by eight other inmates while a guard with advance notice of the plan, not only allowed, but approved it to happen.
‘Throwing urine, feces or all-out assault’: Sheriff Gonzalez discusses obstacles staffers face at Harris County Jail
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez discussed on Wednesday the sexual assault of a sergeant at the Harris County Jail, in addition to many other issues at the facility. He laid it all out during a press conference, speaking about the assault of the officer, the stress of the staff and the “bad and tough actors” the “underpaid” guards have to oversee on a daily basis.
‘Bound to happen again’: Attorney’s prediction comes true after authorities say sergeant sexually assaulted at Harris County Jail
In a little more than a month after a 19-year-old inmate with special needs was beaten to death at the Harris County Jail, a sergeant at the facility was sexually assaulted by an inmate, authorities confirm. What makes the attack even more concerning for some is that a Houston attorney representing the family of the beaten inmate warned that another attack was imminent at the understaffed 1200 Baker Street facility.
‘He danced his way into everyone’s heart’: Family wants justice after 19-year-old with special needs killed in Harris County Jail
Civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen and the family of a 19-year-old man with special needs who was recently killed in the Harris County Jail cried out for justice Wednesday at a press conference held on the steps of the facility.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/5Y7QBZPURFFATCYEJL4SRPSOSM.jpg)
MUG SHOT: Woman accused of repeatedly slamming into back of Uber driver’s vehicle during road rage incident, HPD says
A woman has been charged after being accused of repeatedly slamming her vehicle into the back of an Uber driver’s vehicle during a road rage incident, according to the Houston Police Department.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/R5IJDVERL5EJHADEL3IS3JZR6M.png)
Suspect arrested after being pulled over in stolen vehicle with narcotics, stolen credit cards, officials say
A man was arrested after he was found driving a stolen vehicle where constables seized narcotics and several stolen credit cards in northwest Harris County, according to Constable Mark Herman’s Special Operations Unit.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65):fill(FFF)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/05-28-2021/t_2fbaa2befa0140889888bc2d2375055e_name_image.jpg)
‘Unacceptable and inexcusable’: 11 HCSO employees fired, 6 others suspended after inmate’s death inside Harris County Jail, sheriff says
During a Friday media briefing, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez discussed the findings of an Internal Affairs investigation into the Feb. 17 death of Jaquaree Simmons inside the Harris County Jail. Gonzalez announced 11 HCSO employees were fired and six others were suspended in connection with Simmons’ death.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/07-16-2021/t_d2bd85d5569c4d5f96db74cdc30da255_name_image.jpg)
Houston murder suspect out on 8 felony bonds at the time; victim leaves behind two young sons
Charges have been filed against two suspects arrested in the fatal shooting of a man during a May home invasion, and KPRC 2 has learned that one of the suspects -- Qiriathiam Phillips -- was out on eight felony bonds at the time of the victim’s murder.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/03-16-2021/t_66f2a2c04c1d44d598650dd142d7c453_name_DEVEN_6P_PKG_0316.jpg)
Family remembers mother, 3 children killed in suspected drunk driver crash
HOUSTON – Daniel Canada has been sitting in the Harris County Jail since about noon Monday, accused of killing a mother and three children. The victim’s family say the allegations are hard for them as they try to cope with their loses. For House-El, it’s hard to come to terms with knowing three of her grand-nephews were killed in a suspected drunk driving crash. What did she, my niece Porscha, go through when trying to get out with an infant, a 7-month-old and the other children in the car?” House-El asked. “That’s all you can do is say, ‘Hey, I love you, and time will have to cure it.’ Keep praying, and keep showing the love,” House-El said.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/U6I5YFQ7VREVZFI77EMF7MVBPI.jpg)
Gov. Greg Abbott prioritized changing how bail is set. He isn’t addressing people stuck behind bars because they can’t afford to pay.
The deaths of Chaney and Caitlynne Infinger Guajardo have both been blamed on failures in the complex bail system. “We’re going to separate the Damon Allen Act and what I’m expecting from bail reform there,” Abbott told The Texas Tribune. If a defendant’s bail is set at $10,000, for example, a payment of $1,000 to a bonds company can get them out of jail. Bail reform advocates for years have fought the cash bail system, and multiple federal courts have ordered several Texas counties to change their pretrial practices. Federal courts have ruled that a mechanical use of preset cash bail amounts without individual consideration is unconstitutional.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/10-27-2020/t_5b99b6df61194bea98ebce5e3ba8b8df_name_image.jpg)
Suspect accused of killing HPD Sgt. Preston booked in jail wearing sergeant’s handcuffs
HOUSTON – The man charged with killing a Houston police sergeant was booked into jail -- wearing that sergeant’s own handcuffs. The Houston Police Officer’s Union tweeted Monday afternoon that Manzano was booked into Harris County Jail while wearing Sgt. He is accused of shooting and killed HPD Sgt. Preston will take place Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Texas Southern University, Granville Sawyer Auditorium, 3100 Cleburne Street. Due to COVID-19 protocols, HPD is asking that the funeral service be reserved for family, friends, HPD staff and those who knew Sgt.
:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/OKZBL4UMKNAVVEFTK6VSYR2OG4.jpg)
Harris County Jail inmate dies after being found 'unresponsive’ in his cell, officials say
HOUSTON – An inmate at the Harris County Jail was found unresponsive in his cell over the weekend, officials said. Court records show the robbery charge was dismissed and then refiled as the burglary charge. The burglary charge was dismissed following Jacobs’ death. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has asked the Texas Rangers to investigate Jacobs’ death. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet determined a cause of death.