A 56 Year-Old Dies After 8 Days in Bell County Jail-5
This paragraph and the next continue with the events that occurred on October 19, 2023, the day of Bell County Jail detainee Thomas Rolston’s death. The officer, having found Mr. Rolston unresponsive, called a medical emergency for the housing unit. All other detainees were removed to the recreation yard.
Once medical staff arrived, the facility doctor performed lifesaving measures. When emergency medical services (EMS) arrived, they took over and transported Mr. Rolston by ambulance to Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas. Mr. Rolston was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Larry Wilke at 11:09 a.m. Mr. Rolston was 56 years old. His cause of death is unknown and pending autopsy results. Bell County Jail is in Belton, Texas.
Recent Suicides and Other Deaths in Bell County Jail Continued
The following continues information from the summary of the events surrounding the August 2022 death of a 49-year-old detainee at Bell County Jail:
Jailers began searching the detainee in the search vestibule, and he resisted. He was placed on the ground and his restraints were repositioned as they continued to search him. While jailers were escorting the detainee into the holding area, he again pulled away. They diverted him towards the padded violent cell. Inside the cell, they worked on removing the detainee’s hand restraints before they exited the cell. The detainee was observed through the observation window. A short time later lifesaving measures had to be performed on the detainee. He was pronounced deceased at the jail.
The custodial death report indicates that the cause of death was listed as homicide, including justifiable homicide. The following is written under the medical cause of death: “Hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and physiologic stress during a restraint. Part II (other Significant Contributing Factors): morbid obesity and psychosis and bipolar disease.”
Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this five-part series.
One of this website’s purposes is to provide helpful resources to benefit Texas county and municipal jail detainees and their families. Implying that an individual or entity has engaged in wrongdoing is never intended.
–Guest Contributor
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