HOUSTON – Another inmate had died at the Harris County Jail.
Over the weekend, 30-year-old Ramon Thomas died after suffering from a medical emergency at the jail.
The family was set to have a press conference on Wednesday, but it was canceled. Thomas’s mother Dianne Bailey suspects foul play in her son’s death and says he was bullied.
Civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen said inmates have a constitutional right to medical care and treatment.
“Seems like to me it’s a deliberate action because you knew of his condition. How can you move him and expose him like that,” Bailey said.
Thomas was found unresponsive with a low pulse in his cell on Saturday. Deputies said medical staff attempted to save him, but he was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
His mother said her son had mental issues that the jail knew about, and he was kept in a special area of the facility until last week when he was moved to the general population. She said she told officials he was being bullied by another inmate.
“He called me Saturday morning on my way to work and he asked me to send him some money, but it wasn’t his SPN number it was somebody else’s SPN number, which means he was being bullied,” she said.
“Mental health care in the Harris County Jail is not being treated correctly,” said civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen.
Kallinen does not represent the family, but spoke about the ongoing issues at the jail that The Texas Commission on Jail Standards cited earlier this year.
“The main three things that we have is injuries by guards that’s the use of excessive force; the other one is bad medical care; and the last one is the jail doesn’t have enough staff to watch the inmates,” he said.
Just last month, Eric Cano and Ray Rattler died while in custody of the jail.
Bailey says her son’s death is not adding up. She said he had mental issues but overall was physically healthy.
“A person with mental health should never go in jail because you are making the condition worse,” she said.
Bailey said she plans to take legal action. Her son’s death is being investigated by the Texas Rangers.
Attorney Kallinen says he has three cases pending against the Harris County Jail, including an inmate who was severely injured last year and was left in a coma.
He plans to share more details at a press conference on Friday.
SEE MORE ON HARRIS COUNTY JAIL DEATHS:
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