Few details were provided in the custodial death report regarding 59-year-old Roy Dale Parson, who had been incarcerated at Taylor County Jail before he died on March 2, 2019. He was found unresponsive in his cell, and he was pronounced deceased within hours at a nearby Abilene hospital.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) and the Texas Rangers investigate all custodial deaths that occur in the state’s county jails. Investigations of custodial deaths across the nation sometimes reveal evidence that an inmate’s death was preventable.

In one case, an inmate had always had problems with asthma, and the condition worsened while he was in jail. After the man died, family members said that their loved one had not received the breathing treatments that he needed while incarcerated. Those treatments included using nebulizers and inhalers.

The inmate’s condition in the jail was severe just before his death. He was wheezing and heaving, showing signs that he was desperate for air. He was finally transported to a nearby hospital, where medical professionals said that his condition had deteriorated so that resuscitation was required. Brain activity was minimal, and he suffered serious seizures shortly before his death.

Inmates have a right to receive necessary medical care while they are incarcerated. Sometimes jailers and medical staff members are held accountable when inmates die as a result of indifference or medical neglect.

See Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series for more information.

This website seeks to provide assistance to Texas inmates who are or have been detained in any of the state’s county jails. It is not intended on this site to imply that entities or individuals have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor