11 employees reassigned after Cook County Jail detainee dies

CHICAGO — Eleven Cook County Sheriff’s Office employees have been reassigned pending the outcome of an investigation into the death of an inmate following what officials said was a medical emergency.

Cory Ulmer, 41, died last Friday. Citing records, the news organization Injustice Watch , which focuses its reporting on Cook County’s court system, reported that Ulmer “was beaten, body-slammed, and injected with sedatives.”

In a statement, a sheriff’s office spokesperson said “there was a struggle in the emergency room as staff were escorting him there to be seen by medical staff for evaluation.”

Ulmer was jailed for violating terms of a pre-trial release on charges of aggravated assault and armed robbery.

Illinois State Police are conducting an independent investigation into the death.

The sheriff’s office spokesperson said it is not uncommon for staff involved in an incident to be reassigned until an investigation is complete.

Cook County Sheriff’s Office statement to WGN-TV

Shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday, June 21, Cory Ulmer, age 41, was in Cermak Health Services (Cook County Health and Hospitals System), at Cook County Jail when he suffered a medical emergency in the emergency room. Ulmer was treated on site and transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 4:27 p.m. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force to conduct an independent investigation, per protocol. As with all cases of in-custody deaths, to prevent any conflict-of-interest issues, the cause of Mr. Ulmer’s medical emergency and the circumstances surrounding it are currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Task Force. They are responsible for determining the facts of the death investigation. It would be incredibly irresponsible for the Sheriff’s Office to release any information that could affect or in any way impede the Task Force’s work.

Mr. Ulmer was returned to custody at the Jail on June 20, after he refused to return to his EM host location and did not provide an alternative host site. Ulmer was placed on EM after being charged with Aggravated Battery/Use of a Deadly Weapon for stabbing and slashing a woman as she was waiting at a bus stop.

We can confirm that 11 employees have been reassigned. It is not uncommon for staff involved in an incident to be reassigned until the investigation of the incident is complete. While we understand your interest in learning more about this incident, we would again direct you to reach out to the Public Integrity Task Force with your questions.

There have been zero deaths in custody as a result of a use of force incident in the past 5 years.

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