The FBI has opened an investigation into allegations of federal rights violations following the deaths of two inmates at the Harris County Jail in Texas after a request by the sheriff's office.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez had reached out to the FBI to investigate the deaths of Jaquaree Simmons who died in February 2021 and Jacoby Pillow who died in January 2023, while they were in the custody of the Harris County Jail.
The announcement also came after a Houston press conference with attorneys Ben Crump and Paul Grinke Monday afternoon requesting the Department of Justice open an investigation.
"It's appalling that you would have 32 detainees (die) in the Harris County Jail in a 14-month period," Crump said during the press conference.
According to the county records, 21 inmates died in custody in 2021, and according to attorneys, last year, at least 28 inmates lost their lives in Harris County Jail.
His death led to the Harris County Jail conducting an internal investigation resulting in the termination of 11 detention officers and a suspension of six last May.
ABC News reached out to the Harris County Sheriff's Office and has not yet received a response. »