A 29-year-old man committed suicide in a county jail outside Texas in November 2020, and his devastated family members feel that the jail staff is responsible. Their loved one had an optimistic phone call with his brother the morning he died. Also, he had previously spent 7 years in prison and had only been at this jail for a few weeks. They question what circumstances may have caused what they consider an unexpected suicide.

It is appropriate to question when inmates die in jails because the primary duty of those in authority is to follow jail standards and keep inmates healthy and safe. Detainees have a right to medical care while incarcerated, and strict procedures are in place to prevent custodial suicides. It is completely out of place to think that jailers behave indifferently, endangering lives. Yet, in this particular case, there is an investigation related to some questionable claims.

A corrections officer and a captain at the jail have been suspended because they allegedly saw that the inmate appeared lifeless and did not call for help for almost 15 minutes. Another disturbing claim is that the aforementioned corrections officer had seen the inmate with a makeshift noose around his neck not long before the inmate took his own life with that noose.

The custodial suicide is under investigation.

The posts on this site are all meant as informational resources that might provide assistance to current and former inmates and their families. It is never intended anywhere on this website to make any sort of suggestion that impropriety has occurred on the part of a person or entity.

–Guest Contributor