(AP) — A federal judge is expressing frustration over what she sees as a lack of progress in efforts to try and relieve overcrowding at Texas’ largest county jail, where some inmates have described the facility as a “metal can of contagion” because of ongoing concerns about a potential COVID-19 outbreak.
Concerns about the Harris County Jail were raised this month by Sheriff Ed Gonzalez after its population ballooned to more than 9,000 inmates. The jail population had only dropped to about 8,800 inmates as of Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal on Tuesday asked various officials and others to continue looking for ways to reduce the jail population.
