HOUSTON — We’re hearing from a man who was beaten into a coma. The injuries were so bad, that doctors had to remove part of his skull.
Adael Gonzalez Garcia and his attorney said he was assaulted by guards inside the Harris County Jail.
In December, Garcia was still in the hospital, recovering from his injuries. This weekend, he’s talking for the first time since he was hurt 10 months ago.
“Prosecute the individuals who almost killed Adael,” Garcia’s lawyer, Randall Kallinen told reporters Saturday. He’s filing a civil lawsuit against Harris County
Attorneys said the front of Garcia’s skull was so badly injured, that pieces were removed and replaced with a prosthetic.
“He’s seeking justice for what occurred to him and…has scarred him for life,” Kallinen said.
According to documents in a lawsuit, Garcia allegedly fell from his cell bunk and was taken to the jail clinic on November 25, 2022.
The next day—Garcia was being brought back to his cell when “one or more jail guards used force” on Garcia, causing injuries to his head, neck, and eyes.
In a December press conference, his family told KHOU 11 they were informed Garcia got combative and hit an officer, but they don’t believe the injuries match the story.
Kallinen said nobody from the jail has been disciplined.
“Harris County has not been giving up the videos, they haven’t been giving up the reports. They’re very secretive and we haven’t got a lot of information, but I can tell you this. They did not charge Adael with assault on a public servant,” Kallinen said.
Kallinen’s filing in federal court says Harris County is liable for “having a pattern of guards assaulting inmates.”
Garcia has not been able to work for the past 10 months and his family is left with mounting hospital bills. The lawsuit is asking for unspecified damages.
“Harris County needs to look into this and they need to get rid of those bills because they did it to him. And they need to get the disciplinary system in order,” Kallinen said.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said they couldn’t comment on pending litigation.
Kallinen is also claiming Harris County is using the internal affairs investigation process to prevent the release of any records. He said the sheriff’s office has a policy of not doing IAD investigations if a criminal case is pending against the complainant. In December, KHOU 11 was told by HCSO that its Internal Affairs Division was investigating the case.
A spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office says the case will be presented to a grand jury, but it is not clear when it may be reviewed.