An incident in 2015 also brings to light potential danger in the use of restraint equipment and a resulting custodial death. In this case, a woman was cuffed with her hands behind her back. Her legs were shackled and a hobble strap was placed between the cuffs and the shackles. Officers then allegedly tasered the woman four times, which led to her death.

State-sanctioned use of restraint devices and methods is questioned, especially with regard to spit hoods and anything that can restrict the ability to breathe.

Back to what happened to the 23-year-old in Part 1 of this series, video can be seen of his last hours before death. At one point, deputies are seen transferring him to an outpatient housing unit, and the man became combative. It was at this point the WRAP device and spit hood were used. The inmate had been yelling and making a lot of noise, but when he was placed in the restraint system and moved onto a gurney, he slumped over and appeared limp. A nurse checked his vitals in another room, but she questioned whether he was breathing because she couldn’t detect signs of life.

Following the young man’s death and after an internal investigation about the custodial death, that facility stopped using the WRAP restraint system inside the jail. The jail now uses a restraint chair specifically designed to be used with inmates who have mental health issues.

The deputies who were involved in the last moments of the inmate’s life were found to have committed no criminal negligence.

See Part 1 of this two-part series to learn more.

All Texas county and city jails have constitutional duties they are required to provide to inmates. A jail can be sued if any unconstitutional practice, policy, or custom is found to have caused a custodial suicide or any other type of custodial death.

The purpose of this post and all posts on this website is to provide information. It is not intended to assert or suggest wrongdoing or misconduct on the part of an individual or an institution.

–Guest Contributor