HOUSTON – A man who spent one month in a coma after what he says was a severe beating at the Harris County Jail is now suing the county, claiming federal civil rights violations.
Adael Gonzalez Garcia, 48, was arrested for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant on November 23, 2022, and booked into the county jail. His family claims that, two days later, jail guards used excessive force on Garcia, beating him so brutally that he ended up in a coma with severe brain injuries.
Garcia is now in a rehabilitation hospital relearning how to walk and talk. Meanwhile, his family says they still don’t have details of what happened.
“We are sick of waiting. Want to get it solved. We haven’t had explanation, we haven’t received any answers,” said Marisol Tobar, Garcia’s stepdaughter.
Attorney Randall Kallinen says Harris County has not begun an internal affairs investigation, nor have they released any videos or reports on the incident.
Kallinen says the county never filed charges against Garcia and eventually dropped the misdemeanor warrant.
“Most people here are not convicted; they’re just awaiting trial. You could have innocent people in jail right now killed either from guards, inmates or poor medical care, all because overcrowding, underfunding, and a lack of discipline,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the agency was unable to comment on pending litigation. A spokesperson for the Harris County Attorney’s Office said they had no comment at this time.