Castlee Noble was booked into Coryell County Jail in Gatesville, Texas, on June 23, 2021. At some point in August 2021, Mr. Noble reportedly began refusing all of his prescription medications, and he was then moved to a detox cell for closer monitoring on August 24, 2021. During a cell check, Mr. Noble was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead on August 26, 2021.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) sets minimum jail standards for all Texas county jails, and those standards include the requirement of enhanced supervision in detox cells, as follows.

RULE §265.3 – Observation During Holding

• This rule requires jailers to provide face-to-face checks of inmates confined in detoxification or holding cells at intervals that are not to exceed 30 minutes.

A non-compliant Texas jail was cited for violation of the rule addressing observation during holding in a September 23, 2020, Jail Inspection Report.

Non-Compliance Regarding RULE §265.3

The TCJS inspector documented the finding below:

• Observations logs of inmates held in detoxification and holding cells showed that the required face-to-face observations of inmates at intervals that do not exceed 30 minutes were not routinely being performed in compliance with minimum jail standards.

Supervision of at-risk inmates has largely proven to be the most reliable way to put a stop to unnecessary custodial deaths.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

This website purposes to provide help for county jail inmates in Texas, whether they are currently or previously incarcerated. There is no intention to suggest that organizations or persons have engaged in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor