HOUSTON, Tex. –– Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump and attorney Paul Grinke will join the families of inmates who have recently died at the Harris County jail to call on a Department of Justice investigation into the significant trend in deaths. In 2022 alone, at least 28 inmates lost their lives in the custody of Harris County Jail.
One such inmate, Jacoby Pillow, was in the process of being released on a $100 bond for a misdemeanor trespassing charge when he was involved in an altercation with jail personnel. Pillow received new charges and was detained overnight instead of being released. The following morning on January 3, 2023, Pillow was found deceased.
Additionally, Kevin Smith Jr. was an inmate at Harris County Jail for a parole violation when he was found unresponsive and was determined to be deceased in January 2023. Within weeks of Smith’s death, his uncle also died in the custody of Harris County Jail. That brings the total number of deaths in 2023 to at least four.
WHO:
Family of Jacoby Pillow
Family of Kevin Smith Jr.
Attorney Ben Crump
Attorney Paul Grinke
WHEN:
Monday, February 13, 2023, at 10 am CT
WHERE:
Harris County Civil Courthouse
201 Caroline Street
Houston, Texas 77002
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About Ben Crump Law
Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump and his national network of specialized attorneys have spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more, visit BenCrump.com or call (800) 935-8111.
About National Action Network (NAN)
National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency, and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality, or gender.
For more information go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI BOULEVARD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, lovingly known as “The BLVD”, is the first African American church in the city of Memphis under the doctrine of the Disciples of Christ (DOC). Its mission is to lead others to Christ, learn to be like Christ, live for Christ, and love as Christ without limits in the Greater Memphis Area through transformative worship, engaging fellowship, impactful ministry, consistent discipleship, and broad evangelism. Since its founding in 1921, The BLVD has sought to be relevant not just to the spiritual needs of people, but also to how the message of Jesus applies to the social climate of a community. For more information, visit www.theblvd.org.
