In San Antonio, Texas, on July 17, 2021, 26-year-old Julius Ronnie Price died in the custody of Bexar County Jail. According to the Custodial Death Report, the jail was unaware of any pre-existing medical condition Mr. Price suffered from. It also appears that his medical issue began on the same day he died.

HB 2901

Continuing from Part 1 of this series, HB 2901 is a law that went into effect on September 1, 2021. The purpose of the bill was to address evidence of widespread non-compliance regarding properly submitting a custodial death report as required. The crux of the law is that, with some exceptions, liability of $1,000 will be assessed for every day the custodial death report is late.

Texas county jails operate according to the guidelines set out by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). Accountability is achieved primarily through annual jail inspections. Non-compliance with standards is sometimes related to occasions in which inmates are not provided with the medical care they need when they are being held in restraints.

Restraint Chairs

Restraint chairs are among the approved types of restraint that can be used in county jails on occasions when inmates are behaving in a manner that endangers themselves or others. According to the manufacturers of restraint chairs, there are risks and potential dangers associated with using the restrictive device.

Learn more in this continuing series.

It is not intended on this website to denote that persons or institutions have been participants in misdeeds. Posts are added for the express purpose of assisting inmates in Texas now or previously housed in a county jail in the state.

–Guest Contributor