Alleged Medical Emergency Claims Another Life in Overcrowded Harris County Jail

The Harris County Jail in Texas is facing another tragic death as a man, Robert Terry, died after suffering what is currently being referred to as a medical emergency while in custody, Lucio Vasquez reports for Houston Public Media. Terry had been arrested and charged with retaliation for allegedly making threats against someone who planned to report him to the police. He collapsed and requested medical attention at the jail’s clinic, but less than an hour later, he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported no obvious physical injuries, and the Texas Rangers are investigating the case. This incident adds to a  growing number of deaths in the overcrowded Harris County Jail, which has faced chronic overcrowding issues leading to a rise in in-custody deaths over the past year. The facility witnessed 27 deaths last year, the highest number in nearly two decades. The escalating death toll has prompted an FBI investigation and multiple lawsuits against Harris County and the sheriff’s office.