After being booked into Dallas County Jail at 12:17 PM on September 22, 2022, 24-year-old Shamond Titas Lewis remained in a responsive state only until the early morning hours of the following day. He had been placed in a restraint chair and was transported by ambulance to a hospital after he became unresponsive. On September 29, 2022, a doctor pronounced Mr. Lewis deceased.

Emergency Restraint Chair Use – Oregon County Policies Continued

When deputies are placing an inmate in a restraint chair, the following procedures must be followed:

• Be sure handcuffs are on each hand and that leg irons are placed on both of the inmate’s legs.
• Ensure that chair straps are snug and secure.
• Be sure that the inmate’s blood flow has not been restricted while in a restraint chair.
• Check to be sure that the inmate has the ability to breathe in the restraint chair.
• Isolate the inmate from other inmates.
• Place the inmate facing toward the cell door.
• After the inmate has been secured, contact medical staff to examine him or her.

A shift supervisor will assign a deputy to watch the inmate continuously during the first 15 minutes that he or she is in a restraint chair. This is particularly important when drug or alcohol-intoxicated inmates are restrained because they are more susceptible to experiencing breathing problems.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this ongoing series.

Helping Texas municipal and county jail inmates by providing pertinent information is the reason that this website was created. Suggesting that a person or entity has been a participant in misdeeds is never intended on this site.

–Guest Contributor