Anne Elizabeth Murphy Dies After Being in Harris County, Texas Jail

The Harris County Sheriff’s Department, in Houston, Texas, filed a report regarding the death of Anne Elizabeth Murphy. Ms. Murphy was 53 years old at the time of her death. We provide in this post information obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On December 1, 2021, while security rounds were being performed by a supervisor, inmates advised the decedent appeared to be in medical distress. Additional officers and medical staff arrived, transporting the decedent to the clinic with ongoing CPR. Life-saving measures continued until the arrival of Houston Fire Department paramedics. Paramedics assumed life-saving measures and transported the decedent to St Joseph Hospital. At 6:50 p.m., a medical doctor pronounced the decedent’s death.”

Oddly, in response to the standard questions in the report as to whether Ms. Murphy made suicidal statements, exhibited any mental health problems, and received any medical treatment, the Harris County Sheriff’s Department wrote, “Unknown.”

People in Texas county jails have the right to receive reasonable medical care. This right is provided by The United States Constitution. If jailers fail to provide that care, or if a county has a policy, practice, and or custom which results in such care not being provided, then liability could arise. If a person dies as a result, then certain surviving family members may be able to file claims in a federal lawsuit.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.