HOUSTON — More than 20 families filed suit against Harris County claiming that their loved ones were deprived of their constitutional rights while they were detained at the county jail.
Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump stood by their side on Monday in Houston while they discussed the 230-page lawsuit that will represent 23 inmates. Crump said each plaintiff was mistreated while in custody.
"How many more citizens are going to die in the Harris County Jail before something is done?" Crump said.
Of the 23 inmates, 10 of them died and the rest of them have different stages of medical conditions as a result of their treatment at the jail. Several of the inmates had mental health issues.
The families said all of the inmates in the lawsuit were pre-trial, which means they had not yet been convicted of a crime.
The lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs suffered a range of mistreatment -- from needless and numerous beatings to lack of medical attention -- and it says their cries for help were silenced by their captors.
On Monday, Crump, along with his legal team, read each of the inmates' names out loud and gave their families a chance to speak about their loved ones.
- "All of these lives here mattered, and we want change and we want justice for each and every one of them. Somebody has to be held accountable," the sister of one of the plaintiffs said.
- "I'm here to put the devil on notice because you messed with the wrong mama," the mother of one of the plaintiffs said.
One of the biggest concerns is that the family members said they don't even know exactly what happened to their loved ones.
On top of seeking monetary damages, attorneys said the lawsuit will also give them subpoena power for documents and videos inside the jail so they can try to get answers.
The Harris County Attorney's Office declined to comment citing pending litigation.