Nickolas Lee
Nickolas Lee, 42, was held at Cook County Jail in Chicago, where he contracted COVID-19 in April 2020. He was hospitalized on April 6 and died at Stroger Hospital on April 12. His wife, Cassandra Greer-Lee, says he told staff about symptoms in late March and that she called the jail more than 130 times for help, and she blames negligence by jail staff. The Cook County Sheriff's Office says it has no record of her complaints and that Lee was taken to the hospital as soon as he reported being sick.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (neglect alleged). The sheriff's office attributes the death to COVID-19 pneumonia, while his wife, Cassandra Greer-Lee, says staff ignored his symptoms from late March, did not hospitalize him until April 6, and ignored her more than 132 calls for help.
Reported by: Cook County Sheriff's Office (the agency that held him); Cassandra Greer-Lee, his wife (family or their lawyers).
News reports (5)
- Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Death in Custody Reports (edition of 2026-07-28)
- Coronavirus Chicago: Death of Cook County Jail detainee Nicholas Lee marks 3rd COVID-19 related fatality at facility
- Illinois coronavirus update: Before Cook County Jail prisoner died of COVID, wife says she called 132 times for help
- Cook County Jail in Chicago under fire for inmate deaths since COVID pandemic
- Detainees who died at Cook County Jail in 2023 are remembered in vigil - Chicago Sun-Times