Cooke County, Texas Jail Fails Inspection After Inmate Death

The Cooke County jail, in Gainesville, Texas, failed an inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) occurring on or about June 15, 2022. The Cooke County, Texas jail is now listed as being non-compliant by the TCJS.

The TCJS Inspector apparently was conducting an inspection as a result of a death occurring in the Gainesville, Texas jail. The TCJS Inspector, after reviewing video regarding a custodial death, determined that Cooke County jailers were not conducting observation rounds in accordance with minimum jail standards. This is a serious violation, as failure to observe inmates can lead to serious injury or death. While the report does not indicate the identity of the inmate, due to proximity and time, it appears that the report could relate to the death of Kevin Patrick Cantwell. Mr. Cantwell passed away on or about May 1, 2022 after he was discovered by Cooke County jail staff, laying on the floor of a solitary isolation cell. There is no excuse for jailers not conducting rounds as required by the TCJS.

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.