On March 31, 2022, Mark Wayne Stovall was booked into Upshur County Jail in Gilmer, Texas. It was his 53^rd birthday. Tragically, he died less than a week later on April 5, 2022. According to the custodial death report, Mr. Stovall began complaining of chest pains on the day before he died. The custodial death report (CDR) indicates that the Texas Rangers are investigating Mr. Stovall’s death.

An Investigation Reveals Alleged Preventable Inmate Deaths

A major news network conducted an investigation of jails outside Texas that exposes inmate deaths that were allegedly preventable as well as dangerous medical care practices that do not seem to be addressed by government agencies. The following are among the claims made by inmates, based on the report:

• An inmate who suffered from a bone that was protruding from his shoulder was allegedly given Tylenol for treatment of the injury and his cancer wasn’t treated at all.
• An inmate who was badly and obviously injured was not sent to the emergency room until he had suffered for days. In this case, a doctor said he was under pressure to limit transfers from jails to emergency rooms and it had to do with the financial arrangements that had been made with inmate medical providers.
• A review of medical records in one county jail found documentation regarding medications prescribed by a physician, and that doctor had never seen any of the patients.
• Federal officials declared a county jail unconstitutional due to a negligent medical program in which inmate medical care was denied and resulted in some cases of serious harm and some deaths.

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

Inferring that wrongs have occurred on the part of any individuals or institutions is never intended on this website. All posts purpose to help inmates now or previously incarcerated in Texas county jails.

–Guest Contributor