Daniel Lee Blankenship Commits Suicide in Johnson County Jail

A custodial death report filed with the Attorney General of Texas, by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department in Cleburne, Texas, indicates that Daniel Lee Blankenship committed suicide in the Johnson County jail. We provide in this post information obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The report indicates that Mr. Blankenship passed away as a result of an anoxic brain injury related to suicidal hanging. The report also indicates that Mr. Blankenship had used a wool blanket and was housed in a single-person cell.

The report alleges that Mr. Blankenship made suicidal statements and exhibited mental health problems. The report does not indicate whether Mr. Blankenship had disclosed his intent to commit suicide, or displayed suicide risk behaviors or responses, during jail intake.

The summary portion reads in its entirety:

“On Monday February 8, 2021 inmate Daniel Blankenship was not visible in his single cell by the Corrections Officer. When Corrections Officers entered the cell they found Inmate Daniel Blankenship behind a shower wall hanging by what is believed to be pieces of his wool blanket. Inmate Daniel Blankenship was non-responsive and not breathing. Corrections Officers immediately began CPR until EMS arrived on scene and took over life saving measures on Inmate Daniel Blankenship. Inmate Daniel Blankenship was transported to Texas Health Cleburne Hospital by EMS. During the life saving measures inmate Daniel Blankenship’s heartbeat was restored but was unable to breath on his own. Inmate Daniel Blankenship was then transported to Harris Hospital Fort Worth and placed on life support. Inmate Daniel Blankenship remained on Life Support until February 12, 2021 when the Hospital Doctors terminated Life Support treatment”.

Our law firm has unfortunately handled a number of jail suicide cases in Texas and filed wrongful death claims related to those suicides. The 14^th Amendment to the United States Constitution provides protection to pre-trial detainees from known self-harm tendencies or issues. If a jail or jailer violates a persons constitutional rights, then the county/city and/or particular jailers can be liable for any resulting death.

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.