Brandon Ford Dies After Arrest by North Richland Hills Police
The North Richland Hills Police Department, in Tarrant County, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Brandon Ford. Mr. Ford was only 33 years old at the time of his death. We provide in this post information we 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 10/17/2021 at approximately 0045 hours, Watauga Officer Bell, conducted a traffic stop, incident 21W20988, with a vehicle in which Brandon Ford, the decedent, was a passenger. Ultimately the driver and Brandon Ford were both arrested for confirmed warrants. Ford was transported and arrived at the North Richland Hills PD jail facility at approximately 0125 hours. Initially Ford was placed in D1 holding cell at approximately 0143 hours. After speaking with the Haltom City Judge they agreed he would sit out the remainder of the amount owed. At 1538 hours Ford was transferred to Orange Pod 3 which is a multi-prisoner cell. However, Ford was placed in the cell alone. Multiple checks of the cell were conducted throughout the duration of his stay. Ford was provided food and drink. At approximately 0445 hours on 10/18/2021, from video surveillance, it appears Ford has a medical episode. At 0513 hours Detention Officers Victorious and Vastine enter Orange Pod 3 to serve Ford breakfast. At that time they observed Ford to be deceased. Medical personnel were summoned to the scene. North Richland Hills Fire Department medics began life saving measures and Ford was transported to North Hills Hospital where he was reported deceased at approximately 0550 hours.”
The report also indicates that Mr. Ford did not make any suicidal statements or exhibit any mental health problems. The report provides no responses to the fields entitled Death Code, Manner of Death Description, Code of Charges, Custody Code, Intoxicated, and/or Medical Treatment Description. The report also provides very little information regarding what, if anything, was observed during purported cell checks.
The United States Constitution guarantees the right of pretrial detainees to receive reasonable medical care and mental health care. If police officers, jailers, EMTs and/or others are aware of serious medical needs of a person in custody, and they fail to provide medical care in response, then they could be liable for a death occurring in a jail or holding facility. Unfortunately, there are far too many custodial deaths in Texas. Our law firm has litigated a number of such deaths in federal court.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone