Detainee Richard Gonzales Dies – Nueces County Jail

The Nueces County Sheriff’s Office, in Corpus Christi, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Richard Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez was 43 years old at the time of his death. We provide information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On October 27, 2023 at approximately 0930 Inmate Richard Gonzalez was seen by medical personnel after he was found in an altered mental state and unclothed in his cell. Gonzalez was unable to walk on his own. Officers assisted him out of the cell and onto a wheelchair where he was taken to medical to be assessed. Once at medical Dr. Caro determined that Gonzalez needed to be transported to the hospital for further evaluation. EMS was contacted and Medic 1 arrived and transported Gonzalez to Christus Spohn Shoreline, 600 Elizabeth St, Corpus Christi, TX. 78404. At approximately 1902, we were notified that Gonzalez’s health was declining and his heart rate was dropping. At 1905 Gonzalez stopped breathing and hospital medical staff began CPR. At approximately 2148 Gonzalez was pronounced deceased by Doctor Brittany Davis. Nueces County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division was notified as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety-Texas Ranger Max Honesto. Cause of death is unknown at this time pending results of the autopsy.”

Although the report does admit that Mr. Gonzalez exhibited medical problems, it does not provide information regarding any preexisting medical conditions and/or any ongoing medical treatment for Mr. Gonzalez.

The United States Constitution requires Texas county jails to provide medical care to detainees. If jailers are deliberately indifferent to the medical needs of a detainee, and a detainee dies as a result, then certain surviving family members may be able to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. Our Texas jail neglect and abuse law firm is litigating a number of such cases across the state.

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.