Full Notification

Feb. 25, 2021 — The Feb. 17, 2021 death of a man who was in custody of the Harris County Jail is being thoroughly investigated by multiple independent agencies, as is standard protocol.

Jaquaree Simmons, 23, was pronounced deceased at a local hospital shortly after arriving there via ambulance. An autopsy is being conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, and the Houston Police Department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the in-custody death. HPD’s investigative findings will be forwarded to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for review, which is standard protocol.

In addition, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards has been notified of the death. The incident is also the subject of a Harris County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs investigation, which will seek to confirm whether all applicable department policies were followed.

On the night of Tuesday, Feb. 16, detention officers reported using physical force during an altercation with Simmons. Simmons was then evaluated by jail medical staff before returning to his cell. The following day, jail staff found him unresponsive in his cell. The autopsy is expected to determine if the altercation may have played a role in Simmons’ death.

“We hold every human life as sacred and we are committed to fully cooperating with the independent investigations into the death of Mr. Simmons,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. “My personal condolences go out to Mr. Simmons’ family and loved ones.”

Two detention officers have been placed in administrative positions where they have no contact with people housed in the jail. These assignments will remain in place pending the outcome of the investigations.

Questions regarding the cause of death should be directed to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Questions regarding the independent investigation into the incident should be directed to the Houston Police Department.