HOUSTON (AP) — Attorneys and community activists said Tuesday they hope the indictment of a former Texas sheriff’s office detention officer in the death of an inmate will prompt changes in the state’s largest county jail, which has been under scrutiny amid overcrowding and a slew of recent deaths.
Eric Morales, 28, faces a charge of manslaughter in the death of Jaquaree Simmons. The 23-year-old Houston man was found unconscious in his cell at the Harris County Jail in 2021 and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Medical examiners later ruled the death a homicide from injuries to his head.
Court records did not list an attorney for Morales who could speak on his behalf. He remained jailed Tuesday on a $100,000 bond after being indicted last week.
