Julius Ronnie Price was 26 years old when he died in the custody of Bexar County Jail in San Antonio, Texas. The Custodial Death Report shows that on the day he died he complained of pain and being unable to move or relieve himself. His cause of death is pending autopsy results.

A matter involving Texas county jails that have been the focus of legislation is the issue of reporting custodial deaths. HB 2901 was authored by an Austin State Representative. He proposed a $1,000-per day fine for failing to properly submit a custodial death report. The reports must be submitted to the Office of Attorney General with all known facts. Further discovery in the investigation can be added in updates of the report.

The catalyst for introducing the bill was that, allegedly, the enforcement mechanism that existed at the time was never used, was not effective, and needed change.

The proper time frame for filing a custodial death report is within 30 days of a death in custody. An investigation revealed that, from 2015 through 2020, 372 reports in the state were filed later than the required 30 days. The data includes state prisons as well as Texas County Jails.

HB 2901 has now been enacted as of September 21, 2021. Learn more about the final wording of the bill in this continuing series.

There is no intention on this website to make an implication of wrongdoing on the part of persons or entities. Each of the posts provided is intended as a resource to be of potential help to inmates now or at a previous time incarcerated in a county jail in Texas.

–Guest Contributor