On April 3, 2023, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office under the leadership of Sheriff Larry R. Smith filed a custodial death report (CDR) about Charlie Humphries. It shows that Mr. Humphries did not receive any medical care for the condition he died of on March 23, 2023, while he was in the jail. However, it shows that he exhibited medical problems when he went through the intake process on January 26, 2023.

Smith County Special Jail Inspection Report Dated 2/18/22 Continued

RULE §273.5(a)(2)- Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan

In the chapter on Health Services, Rule §273.5(a)(2) covers Mental Disabilities and the Suicide Prevention Plan. (2) is about identification procedures. When an inmate is potentially suicidal or observed to mentally disabled the jail must comply with procedures for compliance with Code of Criminal Procedure Article 16.22 and the time frame in which referrals are made to available mental health officials.

• The TCJS Inspector, Michael Gravitt, wrote that documentation was received and reviewed, and he found that jail personnel failed to notify that magistrate within the time frame. The notification to a magistrate exceeded the 12-hour time frame anywhere from 20 minutes to 8 hours.

RULE §273.5(b)- Screening Instrument

The rule states that an approved mental disabilities/suicide prevention screening instrument shall be completed immediately on all inmates admitted.

• According to TCJS Inspector Michael Gravitt, the review of documentation showed that jail personnel staff failed to complete the screening form for Mental / Medical / and Developmental Impairments in its entirety on multiple occasions.

Learn more in Part 1 and this ongoing series.

This website is a resource for Texas prisoners in city and county jails. Making accusations that an individual or institution is a participant in wrongs is never intended.

–Guest Contributor