(CNN) A Washington, DC, inmate who died Monday had pleaded in court to be released weeks ago because of fears coronavirus would spread at the jail.

Deon Crowell, 51, was awaiting a trial on a first-degree murder charge when he died. He had been taken to a local hospital on April 7, the same day he was diagnosed with coronavirus after experiencing respiratory problems, a spokesperson for the jail said Monday.

Crowell's case and the unusual setup of the criminal justice system in DC -- where the federal prosecutors' office and judges appointed by the President often handle local crime -- highlights the approach taken by Attorney General William Barr to stay tough on allegedly violent prisoners awaiting trial despite the pandemic. It also reflects the relatively slow pace of the courts in responding to a fast-spreading pandemic.

Crowell's attorney had asked a DC Superior Court judge on March 20 to make an emergency decision to release him, citing "close contact and conditions" at the local jail and his high risk of coronavirus complications because he was diabetic, according to documents in his criminal case.

Crowell was still presumed to be innocent under the law, his attorney noted, and suggested he return to his home of 15 years with his wife for home confinement while wearing a GPS ankle bracelet.

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