Cherokee County Jail Fails in the Distribution of Prescribed Meds

After an inspection of Cherokee County Jail on August 19, 2024, a notice of non-compliance was sent to the jail on August 23 citing it for violating one minimum jail standard. As a result, the Cherokee County Jail is now listed as a non-compliant jail on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website.

Under the Health Services Plan, the Cherokee County Jail was found to be in violation of the rule requiring prescription medications to be distributed according to the written instructions of physicians. A TCJS inspector indicated the following:

Medical administration records (MARs) at Cherokee County Jail were reviewed in response to a complaint. It was discovered that between January through June 2024, the distribution of prescribed medications was not completed on multiple occasions.

The address of Cherokee County Jail is 272 Underwood St, Rusk, TX 75785. The Rusk jail has an inmate capacity of 188.

Inmates in Local Jails Die Because They Are Denied Prescription Meds

There is no shortage of stories from jails across America about detainees who died because they were allegedly denied necessary medication. The following are a few examples found in recent news stories:

A particular third-party healthcare company is the target of a story about high death tolls in jails where they provide medical care. Details about several deaths are provided. One tragic death occurred in which it was ruled that a woman died in a jail outside Texas because she was denied her anti-seizure medication.
A 41-year-old man in a North Carolina county jail pleaded for his prescription anti-depressant medication. Records show he made the request 16 times, but his requests were denied. After being booked into the jail on April 3, 2021, he was found hanging in his cell on May 22, 2021, and was pronounced deceased that day.
A 54-year-old man was arrested for a misdemeanor in Florida. When he entered the jail, he explained that his heart would fail if he did not take his anti-rejection medicine for his heart transplant. While at the jail, he was not provided with his medication. The condition of his heart worsened to the point that he died of acute rejection of the heart three days after his release from jail.
There are many stories about detainees who were suffering through drug withdrawals and were not provided with treatments that could have saved their lives.

Pursuing Justice for Jail Deaths Caused by Neglect

Being incarcerated should not mean a loss of civil rights. If you suspect that a loved one died in a Texas jail due to jail neglect or abuse, contact the Law Offices of Dean Malone as soon as possible. Our firm is dedicated to seeking justice for those affected by custodial deaths, with a devoted team focused on these cases. We can also help many former detainees who have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of jail neglect during their time in jail. Contact us anytime—by phone, text, or through our online form. We are available 24/7, and we are committed to asserting inmates’ fundamental rights.

Written By: