Harris County inmate dies while in custody, suffered medical emergency, officials say
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Another inmate at Harris County Jail has reportedly died while in custody, according to jail officials.
On Thursday, Raymond Cooper, 62, suffered an apparent medical emergency in a medical ward of the jail, authorities say. He has been in jail since July 15.
According to officials, he was taken to a local hospital by Houston Fire Department EMS after CPR and lifesaving measures were administered.
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Cooper was pronounced dead around 5:32 a.m.
He has no obvious physical injuries, authorities report. His cause of death will be determined by an autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
Behind bars: Harris County jail struggles amidst overcrowding and legal battles
*EDITORS NOTE: This video is from a previous story. Despite constant overcrowding and staffing challenges in Harris County Jail, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez praises his team's dedication in light of lawsuits exposing violence and deaths in custody.
Cooper's death is being investigated by the Texas Rangers as required by state law that requires all jail deaths to be investigated by an outside law enforcement agency. The Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Division is also investigating to determine whether all applicable policies and procedures were followed, which is standard following the death of a person in jail, officials say.
In addition, the death has been reported to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
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This is the 12th death in Harris County Jail, the most recent one being on August 9. In 2022, the jail had 27 deaths.
Harris County community members recently held a forum to discuss how to protect their loved ones from becoming a statistic in the criminal justice system, particularly those who face time in jail.