Dallas County Jail Inmate Commits Suicide

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, in Dallas, Texas, filed a custodial death report with the State of Texas regarding the death of Salvador Rodriguez.  Mr. Rodriguez was only 35 years old at the time he died.  Information in this post was obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone related to Mr. Rodriguez’s death.

       Mr. Rodriguez was initially incarcerated in the Dallas County jail at 6:44 p.m. on March 27, 2020.  Two days later – on March 29, 2020 – at approximately 3:40 p.m., a jailer heard several inmates in the North Tower Jail facility, Tank 3E1, banging on a window.  The jailer was notified by several inmates that Mr. Rodriguez was attempting to hang himself.  Mr. Rodriguez had used a self-made rope, which consisted of torn pieces of a brown blanket, as a noose. 

       Medical personnel attempted to save Mr. Rodriguez, without success.  Mr. Rodriguez was transferred to Parkland Memorial Hospital and pronounced deceased at 4:31 p.m.

       The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy.  Moreover, more than likely, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office will conduct an investigation of the custodial death. 

       When people are arrested in Texas and confined in a county jail, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards requires completion of a specific form.  The form asks a number of questions regarding the inmate, including questions regarding mental health.  Interestingly, the custodial death report regarding Mr. Rodriguez, in response to questions about whether he made suicidal statements and/or exhibited any mental health problems, were marked “unknown.” This makes little sense, if the jail followed State procedure in conducting an intake interview of Mr. Rodriguez.

Aside from what happened to Mr. Rodriguez, generally, people in Texas county jails are entitled to be protected from themselves and others, including an entitlement to be protected from suicide.  If jailers are aware of suicidal and/or other self-harm tendencies, then they could be liable to certain surviving family members of a person who commits suicide.  These rights are pursuant to the United States Constitution.

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.