Here we continue with details about the final hours in the life of Johnny Charles Bradley, who was a detainee in Rusk County Jail in Henderson, Texas, beginning on February 15, 2023. The custodial death report (CDR) about his death next states that Mr. Bradley, age 61, had a history of mental health issues and had demonstrated behaviors suggesting that he was indeed mentally ill. He was housed in a single-occupancy cell and on the afternoon of July 23, 2023, he was found unresponsive on his bed by a member of the Rusk County Jail staff.

What Qualifies Detainees for Cool Protocols in a Heat Wave?

The criminal justice system acknowledges that some detainees are at an increased risk due to heat sensitivity. A type of intervention is to house such detainees in cool beds. The following is some information on the categorization of detainees with “Cool Bed Priority” (CBP):

Heart and Medical Disease – Detainees are categorized as CBP detainees in certain conditions, such as:

• Previous myocardial infarction;
• Chronic ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease;
• Heart failure;
• An implantable cardiac device/pacemaker; or
• A stent or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Mental Health Disorders – Detainees are qualified for CBP if they have one of the following active psychiatric conditions:

• Schizo-affective disorder;
• Schizophrenia;
• Bipolar disorder; or
• Psychosis.

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

Helping Texas county and municipal jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of implicating that persons or institutions have engaged in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor