Bexar County, Texas Jail Prisoner Commits Suicide
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Department filed a custodial death report with the Attorney General of Texas on August 21, 2019 regarding the death of Ashanti Emoni Taylor. Ms. Taylor was only 19 years of age at the time of her death. We provide information in this post obtained from that report, and we make allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.
Ms. Taylor was originally incarcerated in the Bexar County Jail, in San Antonio, Texas, on July 7, 2019. The report regarding her death is only two pages long, which is significantly shorter than a typical custodial death report in Texas. Therefore, the report does not provide most of the information typically provided to the Attorney General.
On July 7, 2019, at approximately 11:07 p.m., Ms. Taylor was found in her cell apparently having committed suicide using a bed sheet. She was then transported to a local hospital and placed on life support. Ms. Taylor passed away on August 2, 2019.
The report indicates that Ms. Taylor had not made any suicidal statements and did not exhibit any mental health problems. The report does not provide any information regarding any periodic observations of Ms. Taylor, as would be required by Texas Commission on Jail Standards regulations.
Without regard to Ms. Taylor’s situation, generally, pre-trial detainees in Texas jails are entitled to reasonable medical care and to be protected from themselves and others. If jailers, counties, or cities violate constitutional law related to such rights, they can be liable to certain surviving family members.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone