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HOUSTON - It's been nearly two years since the death of Fred Harris who was killed in Harris County Jail.
Harris was 19-years-old when he was allegedly brutally murdered by Michael Ownby, 25, in October 2021. He would have celebrated his birthday on Thursday, turning 21.
According to court documents, prosecutors contend Ownby attacked Harris with a sharpened spoon while also slamming his head repeatedly on the concrete floor.
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"He should've never been on the sixth floor, to begin with," said Randall Kallinen, the attorney representing Harris' family.
The attorney says the video of Fred's murder was put under a protective order, and they are moving to lift the order to the public can see the "horrific" video firsthand.
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Lawsuit filed against Harris County Jail
FOX 26 Reporter Gabby Hart has more as a 231-page lawsuit has been filed against the Harris County Jail by Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump.
His mother, Dallas Garcia Harris, said she received a call to come to check on her son immediately and when she saw him there were "no bones in his face."
"It was just the most egregious thing that a parent could go through," she says.
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Fred was a first-time offender with special needs. He was arrested for allegedly threatening an acquaintance with a knife near a smoke shop in Montrose. He was later charged with aggravated assault.
Dallas said she was assured the welfare of her son with an IQ of 62 would be protected, but the family was furious he was not placed in protective custody pending a mental competency hearing.
"It is a horrible, vicious murder. There's no other way to describe it," Kallinen said. "It's Emmett Till stuff."
On Wednesday, the family held a press conference to remember Fred's life and call on Harris County to do more to prevent more deaths at Harris County Jail.
"What happened to my son was unfair, it was unjust. I'm really hoping to get justice for my son," Dallas said. "I love him and I miss him. We're seeking justice. We're seeking change."
Ownby was charged with murder and his trial is set for Sept. 20.