Shederick Morrison (Full Name: Shederick Yves Morrison) Died In Custody At Harris County Jail
HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS (November 8, 2023) - A 61-year-old inmate identified as Shederick Morrison has tragically died at a Harris County Jail after a fight with another inmate.
Harris County officials are saying that the incident began on September 16. He was in the custody of the Harris County Sheriff's Department. Shederick Morrison was involved in a fight with another inmate.
He was taken to a clinic after the fight and later transported to an outside hospital for more extensive care. On October 28, Shederick Morrison was transported from a hospital to a nursing home.
Just three days later, he was pronounced dead on November 1. It remains unclear if any injuries from the fight may have contributed to his death.
A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Harris County Inmate Deaths
Violence within the prison system is unfortunately very common. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, “The number of homicides in state prisons reached a record high of 120 deaths in 2018, a reminder that while prisons are secure, they are largely unsafe. Violence in prison is commonplace, tied to trauma prior to incarceration as well as mental health stressors inside.” There are many steps that jails should take in order to prevent violence in jails.
- Jails should implement a thorough inmate screening process which assesses the security and safety risk of each inmate.
- Jails should do their best to monitor gang affiliations among inmates.
- Jails should address the substance and mental health conditions that each inmate may have.
- Correctional officers should set an example by treating each inmate with dignity and respect.
Depending on the facts of any case, an inmate could be liable for any instance where an inmate is injured or killed by another inmate. Jails have a responsibility to protect inmates from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes attacks at the hands of other inmates. When a jail has specific knowledge of particular threats, they must take action. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any in-custody death.
- The autopsy report for any inmate that died should be reviewed.
- The health profile of the inmate that died should be understood.
- Body camera footage from all officers involved should be sought.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
Jails should be proactive about keeping inmates safe. But in far too many situations, correctional officers fail to properly monitor inmates. It is important that inmates and their family members understand that they do have rights protected by the constitution. The family of any person that died in-custody may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. A civil rights attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Harris County Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Shederick Morrison. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened for the sake of the victim’s family. There are so many questions that still need to be answered. County officials should do their part and be transparent about what took place.
Do you need more information about a Harris County inmate death? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping inmates understand their rights and fighting to make jails a safer place. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any in-custody death we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.