Overview
- Jaleen Anderson, a 29-year-old Harris County inmate, died in April 2024 after suffering multiple seizures in a Louisiana private prison operated by LaSalle Corrections.
- A federal lawsuit filed by Anderson's family accuses Harris County, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, and LaSalle Corrections of medical negligence and inhumane conditions, citing a pattern of inadequate care in LaSalle facilities.
- The lawsuit alleges LaSalle prioritizes profits over inmate care, hiring untrained staff and failing to provide necessary medical attention, contributing to Anderson's preventable death.
- Harris County spends over $58 million annually outsourcing inmates to private facilities due to overcrowding and staffing shortages, raising concerns about accountability and transparency.
- Texas lawmakers are advancing bills, including Senate Bill 2289, to improve reporting and oversight of out-of-state inmate deaths, as public scrutiny of private prison practices intensifies.