Christa Kay Markwell Dies at Hands of Lubbock, Texas Police

The Lubbock Police Department, in Texas, filed a custodial death report with the Attorney General regarding the death of Christa Kay Markwell. We provide information in this post obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone regarding Ms. Markwell’s death. The summary portion of the report read as follows:

“Ms. Christa Markwell (the deceased) called the police department as the reporting party, to a criminal mischief at her apartment. Upon arrival, uniformed officers knocked on Ms. Markwell’s apartment door. Ms. Markwell answered the door and officers identified themselves. Officers on seen had a brief conversation with Ms. Markwell before realizing she was armed with a hatchet. Ms. Markwell advanced toward one of the officers armed with the hatchet, failing to comply with orders. One of the officers discharged his duty pistol in self-defense, striking Ms. Markwell. Ms. Markwell transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.”

It is our understanding that one or more officers involved in the incident wore body cams. Our experience is that some Texas police departments will release body cam recordings of incidents, while others will not. Such recordings are potentially subject to the Texas Public Information Act. We also understand that Ms. Markwell had mental health issues known to the Lubbock Police Department.

Without regard to what happened to Ms. Markwell, the 4^th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of U.S. residents not to be the subject of excessive force. Police officers may only use that force which is reasonable under the circumstances. If police officers use excessive force, and cause the death of a person, then such officers may be liable to certain surviving family members for claims which are usually filed in federal court.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.