Multiple Days in a Restraint Chair

Another tragic custodial death connected to restraint chairs occurred in a county jail outside Texas and has similar components to other preventable deaths. The common components of using a taser on a person in a restraint chair, spraying the individual with pepper spray, and exceeding time limits for restraint were in play in this story.

A man had missed his court appearance due to his refusal to attend. Although it is not permitted to use restraint chairs as a form of punishment, it was the reason this man found himself being strapped in a restraint chair. Evidence shows that jailers removed him from his cell by force. The inmate was then pepper-sprayed and shocked with an electronic weapon before being placed in a restraint chair. The man was occasionally allowed to get out of the restraint chair, but after three days of such restraint, jailers found him unresponsive in the chair. Medical personnel arrived on the scene, where he was pronounced dead.

This type of story demonstrates the potential dangers associated with restraint chairs. In the next segment, find out some recommended guidelines for ensuring that restraint chairs are not likely to be misused in jails.

See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of these ongoing posts to learn more.  

This site’s posts are provided to assist prisoners in Texas county and city jails. There is never an intention to denote misdeeds on the part of persons or institutions.

–Guest Contributor