Approximately 6 months after Trelynn Dmaun Wormley was booked into Tarrant County Jail in Fort Worth, Texas, he suffered a medical emergency and suddenly died. Tragically, Mr. Wormley was only 23 years old. His cause of death is currently unknown and is pending autopsy results. There is an indication, however, that Mr. Wormley received medical treatment at the jail for the condition suspected to have caused his death.

Medical care for inmates is the issue that is complained about most frequently in Texas local jails, according to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). Inmates have a basic right to receive needed medical care. Jail is not supposed to be a place where people go to die even before they have had their day in court. However, neglect of medical treatment can quickly become a life-threatening situation in jails.

The procedures for conducting jail inspections established by TCJS do not provide a reflection of the heavy number of complaints about medical care. In other words, in only narrow circumstances does inmate medical care come up as a result of findings during jail inspections. One of those circumstances, as an example, is that prescription medications must be distributed as dictated by minimum jail standards. When there are seeming occasions in which there is the neglect of medical care, it often is not evident unless an inmate dies.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this continuing series.

Helping inmates in Texas jails is the purpose of posts placed on this website. We provide helpful resources for both municipal and county jail inmates and for those who are now or were previously detained in a municipal or county detention facility.

–Guest Contributor