Lucio Vasquez/Houston Public Media
The Harris County Jail in downtown Houston. Taken on Dec. 19, 2023.
Two inmates in the custody of the Harris County Jail died after medical emergencies in recent days, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Tevin McClendon, 33, died at LaSalle Correctional Center in Louisiana on Friday after he was outsourced from the Harris County Jail in March. Tanner Goldade, 31, died Sunday in Harris County after suffering an apparent medical emergency, according to the sheriff’s office, which operates the downtown Houston jail.
The deaths were the first to be reported by the sheriff’s office since January, when two men in their mid-50s died after suffering medical emergencies inside the jail and being transported to nearby hospitals. Twenty people died in the custody of the Harris County Jail last year, an uptick from the previous year.
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Officials with LaSalle reported McClendon requested medical attention just after 2:30 p.m. Friday after allegedly smoking an unknown substance in his cell before becoming ill, according to the sheriff’s office in Harris County. He was taken to the Louisiana facility’s medical unit and lost consciousness before being transported to an outside hospital, where McClendon was pronounced dead just before 3:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office said
RELATED: Harris County commissioners approve $38 million contract renewal to keep outsourcing jail inmates
McClendon’s death is being investigated by the sheriff’s office’s internal affairs division and the Criminal Investigation and Security Division to determine whether all procedures were followed. McClendon was booked into the Harris County Jail last September on a charge of engaging in organized criminal activity. He was set to appear in court on April 28.
Goldade was arrested and booked into the jail last June for allegedly assaulting a peace officer. Court records show Goldade was found incompetent to stand trial in August. District Court Judge Mark Ellis in a Feb. 18 filing ordered the sheriff’s office to transport Goldade to the Jail Based Competency Restoration Program inside the jail. Fifteen days later, he was released back to the general jail population from the restoration program.
RELATED: Harris County Jail found to be in compliance with state standards for first time in over a year
The Harris County Jail was found to be in compliance with state standards during an inspection conducted in the jail earlier this year, according to the sheriff’s office. It was the first time in longer than a year that the jail was found to be in compliance with all of Texas’ minimum jail standards.
The jail corrected a deficiency noted in a recent comprehensive inspection that observed delays in medical care for inmates. Another deficiency with fire panels was also addressed, according to the inspection report.
Texas jails are required to meet 26 compliance standards mandated by the state.