Deerfield Detainee Choked In Lake County Jail Dies In Hospital

CHICAGO — A Deerfield man who had been hospitalized after being choked by an fellow inmate at the Lake County Jail died early Friday morning after being taken off life support, authorities said. The dead detainee had been jailed in October on charges that he solicited sex with a detective posing as a 14-year-old and was later indicted following allegations he forged documents to qualify for aid from the Highland Park Senior Center. The man charged with choking him is a documented gang member from North Chicago awaiting trial on carjacking and drug charges following an arrest by a U.S. Marshals Service task force in Detroit more than two years ago, according to sheriff's office, police and court records.

Jeffrey R. Weiss, 60, was found on the floor of his cell on March 9 having trouble breathing in what appeared to be a medical emergency, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. He was taken first to Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan and later Rush University Medical Center with what sheriff's office spokesperson Sgt. Chris Covelli described as "stroke-like" symptoms.

Detectives later determined Weiss had been choked by 36-year-old Timothy R. Adams following an argument that turned physical, Covelli said. The investigation suggested that Weiss called Adams a derogatory name before he was attacked and choked. Later, police say Adams battered a second person, a 40-year-old man who he believed had "snitched," according to Covelli, who said the incident had been witnessed by multiple inmates.

"We will seek prosecution for any inmate who makes the unwise decision to engage in a physical fight," Sheriff John Idleburg said in a statement announcing charges of felony aggravated battery causing great bodily harm by strangulation and misdemeanor battery.

The day after the attack, Weiss met with investigators and later had a procedure to remove a long-term blockage from one of his arteries, according to Covelli. The next day, March 11, doctors performed a procedure to reduce swelling on his brain and placed him in an inducted coma and on a ventilator.

Hospital staff removed Weiss from the induced coma and ventilator on March 21, and his next of kin elected not to continue medical care should Weiss require a ventilator, Covelli said. Weiss was pronounced dead at 12:10 a.m. on March 29 at Journey Care Hospice at Rush Hospital, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

“Our condolences go out to the Weiss family on the loss of their loved-one," Sheriff John Idleburg said in a statement announcing Weiss' death. "If his death is attributed to being battered by Adams, we will do everything possible to hold Adams accountable for his actions.”

Adams is being held in lieu of the $50,000 cash portion of his bond and currently faces 12 counts in Lake County, including narcotics and carjacking charges filed in January 2017, according to the sheriff's office and court records. He will have an opportunity to enter a plea to charges of strangling Weiss and punching another inmate at an April 4 arraignment.

Depending on the results of Weiss' autopsy, which was pending as of Friday afternoon, Adams may face additional charges. Adams is due for a pre-trial hearing on the drug and carjacking charges April 10. His lawyer in the case, Kevin Malia, and a spokesperson for the Lake County State's Attorney's Office have not responded to requests for comment about the case.

At the time of his death, Weiss had been jailed in lieu of the $10,000 cash portion of his bond. He was initially arrested on Oct. 12 after the sheriff's office said he made arrangements to meet and have sex with a detective posing as a 14-year-old boy after communicating through an online social network, former Sheriff's Mark Curran said at the time. Weiss was charged with two felony counts of indecent solicitation of a child and cited for driving with a suspended license in one of two cybercrimes unit sting operations announced by Curran's office in the month leading up to last November's election.

While jailed on those charges, a pair of investigations by Highland Park police led to Weiss' indictment on two counts of forgery. In the first incident, Weiss' landlord told police a tenant had stolen a $1,000 check written out to cash, police said. The investigation determined the check had been deposited into an account in Weiss' name, according to Highland Park police. In a second, separate investigation, a city employee contacted police in June 2018 and said Weiss had cashed another person's check from the Highland Park Senior Center and provided the city with forged residency documents to request assistance, according to police.

Earlier:

• March 2019 — Detainee Choked Jailed Deerfield Man In Lake County Jail: Sheriff »
  
• October 2018 — Deerfield Man Arrested In Child Solicitation Sting Operation »