A Fellow Inmate Kills Jose Barrera in Bexar County Jail
Jose Alejandro Barrera was booked into Bexar County Jail on December 15, 2024. He died in his cell at age 62 on August 13, 2024. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Department filed a custodial death report (CDR) about Mr. Barrera on August 15, 2024. The report states that Mr. Barrera’s manner of death was homicide, and the medical cause was strangulation.
In the summary of how the death occurred, the incident began at 1:58 PM on August 13. It was initiated by a request for assistance in unit CI, cell #08 regarding two inmates. Both were escorted out of the cell. Deputy Mireles returned to gather the personal property of both inmates. While there, another detainee in C108 told the deputy to check on Mr. Barrera because he had also been assaulted by one of the detainees who had just been removed from the cell.
He discovered that Mr. Barrera was lying on his back covered up to his neck with a bed sheet. The deputy saw no movement, and Mr. Barrera was unresponsive. He pulled down the sheet and observed that he wasn’t breathing. Lifesaving attempts began immediately and, after consulting with the University Hospital Medical Director, Dr. Harper, Mr. Barrera was pronounced deceased at 2:37 PM.
How Do Texas Jails Prevent Inmate-on-Inmate Violence?
Supervision of inmates is the best way to deter violence and suicide. Alarmingly, lack of proper observation is a common area in which Texas jails are found to be non-compliant. In 2019, Bexar County Jail was cited for non-compliance in February and May. Several of the rules violated were related to observations. The following are a couple of the inspector’s notes:
Observation logs indicated that jail staff exceeded the required face-to-face 15-minute observations on a continual basis. [The approved Bexar County Jail operational plan for inmates of full suicide precautions states that inmates shall be observed every 15 minutes.]
In areas where inmates must be observed every 60 minutes, jail staff continually exceeded the required observations by as few as 1 minute up to 126 minutes.
A Texas Jail Is Currently on the Verge of Overcrowding
In June 2024 news, the Potter County Jail population is reaching 85% capacity. The address of Potter County Jail is 13103 NE 29th in Amarillo, Texas 79111, and the jail’s bed capacity is 598. The county Commissioners’ Court voted unanimously to arrange for detainees to be housed in Deaf Smith County. Deaf Smith County Jail is at 235 E 3rd Street #205 in Hereford, Texas 79045. The jail has an inmate capacity of 93.
Sheriff Brian Thomas stated that 47 of the people currently incarcerated at Potter County Jail have been charged with murder, and 36 of them were already being moved. But, he said, “We are just having too much violent crime.”
Seek Help for Jail Medical Neglect with the Law Offices of Dean Malone
If you believe that a loved one died due to neglect or abuse while in the custody of a Texas jail, it’s essential to seek skilled legal support. The Law Offices of Dean Malone are dedicated to asserting the rights of jail inmates and their families, particularly in cases involving jail-related deaths. Our experienced team is well-versed in handling these complex cases. If you are a former detainee who has experienced abuse, neglect, or medical negligence while in jail and are now facing life-altering injuries, we encourage you to reach out to us. For a free case evaluation, contact us any time, day or night—by phone, text, or through by our online form.
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