Leslie Joron Thackston was booked into Dallas County Jail in Dallas, Texas. The information that summarizes how her death occurred provides no details about what happened on the day of her death to prompt a call for emergency medical services. She was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital (PMH) with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in progress. Dr. Sarah Wells pronounced Ms. Thackston deceased at 7:44 AM on July 18, 2023.

Can Noncompliance of Jails Affect Incidents of Suicide? Continued

At Red River County Jail in Clarksville, Texas, detainee Christopher Wayne Cabler hung himself. The jail’s records showed that before his suicide occurredy on May 5, 2019, Cabler had cut himself and swallowed a razor blade during a previous stay at the jail in January 2019.

The special jail inspection showed that Red River County Jail was in violation of the following minimum jail standard, which is about identifying potentially suicidal inmates:

Rule §273.5(a)(s)-Identification

The rule states jails should follow the procedures for intake screening to identify detainees who are known to be or observed to be mentally disabled or potentially suicidal and also procedures for compliance with Code of Criminal Procedure Article 16.22 and referrals to available mental health officials.

• The TCJS Inspector, Wendy Wisneski, indicates that no documentation was to submitted to prove that a referral was made to a mental health official as required on the Screening Form for Suicide and Mental/Medical/Developmental Impairments. The magistrate was notified; however, the magistrate notification form was filled out incorrectly and did not advise the magistrate of the indicators documented on the mental health screening form nor was the CCQ match reported as required by Article 16.22 of the CCP.

Learn more in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and this continuing series.

Helping Texas inmates housed in county and municipal jails and their families is among the purposes of this website. It is never intended on this site to implicate individuals or institutions in acts of wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor