Cherokee County, Texas Jail is Found Non-Compliant After an Inmate Suicide
During a recent jail inspection, Cherokee County Jail was found to be non-compliant with five minimum jail standards set by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). The Rusk, Texas jail is now listed on the TCJS website along with approximately 10 other county or city jails in Texas that also failed inspections—for some jails, multiple failed inspections are listed on the site. A notice of non-compliance was sent to Cherokee County Jail on February 12, 2025.
Records show that Cherokee County Jail failed at least three other jail inspections in the past five years. Those jail non-compliance reports were sent to Cherokee County in August 2024, April 2023, and October 2020.
Cherokee County Jail’s address is 272 Underwood St. in Rusk, Texas 75785. The bed capacity is 188.
A Custodial Death at Cherokee County Jail was Reviewed
The jail inspection report reflects that the review of an inmate’s death was part of the February 2025 inspection. TCJS inspectors provided the following information:
- It was determined during a custodial death review of an inmate that the jail staff failed to conduct proper face-to-face observations of the inmate.
Supervision has been established as the number one deterrent to suicide, inmate-on-inmate violence, and other problems that tend to arise in custodial settings. A lack of supervision could suggest jail neglect, which can have tragic consequences.
Cherokee County Jail failed in compliance in several areas that could have placed inmates at risk, according to its latest non-compliance report:
- Failure to show that medication is being distributed to detainees in accordance with physicians’ instructions.
- A restraint log shows that the jail staff exceeded the mandated 15-minute observation checks by 4 to 12 minutes on each of the 19 checks conducted.
Was a Custodial Suicide the Death Referred to in Cherokee County Jail’s Latest Failed Jail Inspection?
It is possible that the December 2, 2024, death of a 29-year-old inmate was the one referred to in Cherokee County Jail’s latest non-compliance report. The young man was facing the types of charges that are known to place detainees at a heightened risk for suicide. The man had been incarcerated since July 30, 2021, per the CDR, and the following is indicated in the summary of how his death occurred:
- On December 2, 2024, the inmate died from apparent strangulation by means of hanging. He had managed to make a rope in his cell, and he used the rope to hang himself from the showerhead. Jailers’ lifesaving efforts to revive the young man were unsuccessful.
Need Legal Help for Jail Negligence?
Research shows that nearly 70% of inmates in local U.S. jails with chronic health conditions are deprived of proper medical treatment—an alarming statistic. If you have lost a family member to neglect while they were incarcerated, it’s important to take action. The Law Offices of Dean Malone has extensive experience handling cases involving custodial deaths, including those caused by neglect and suicide.
We’re here to help 24/7. Contact us anytime for a free consultation by phone, text, or through our online form.
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