Harris County inmate dies after medical emergency, sheriff’s office says

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A man who had been jailed for months died Thursday, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said 62-year-old Raymond Cooper suffered an apparent medical emergency at the jail’s medical ward. Authorities said CPR and lifesaving measures were immediately performed, and Cooper was taken to the hospital via EMS.

Cooper was pronounced dead at 5:32 a.m., the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities said that at the time, Cooper did not have signs of physical injuries. They said he had been in jail since July 15, 2023.

The Texas Rangers are now investigating his death.

“The Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs Division is also investigating to determine whether all applicable policies and procedures were followed, which is standard following the death of a person in jail. The man’s cause of death will be determined by an autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

Previously, there were 11 reported deaths in the jail, with more than two dozen in 2023.