Dimmit County Jail Fails in the Supervision of Inmates in Restraint Chairs
After a special jail inspection of Dimmit County Jail, a jail inspection report was issued to the Carrizo Springs, Texas, detention facility on April 11, 2025. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) sent a notice of non-compliance to Dimmit County Jail on April 17, 2025, advising them of the violation of one minimum jail standard. In addition, the jail is now listed on the TCJS website’s non-compliance page.
TCJS inspectors found that Dimmit County Jail has failed to comply with one rule under health services that pertains to restraints, as follows:
- It was discovered at the time of the inspection that restraint chair observations exceeded the 15-minute requirement.
Restraint chairs are controversial in that they are associated with widespread abuse in jails and prisons throughout the U.S. The lives of inmates are put at risk if certain precautions are ignored. The importance of checking on inmates in restraint chairs every 15 minutes is stressed by manufacturers of restraint chairs.
Dimmit County Jail is located at 669 Industrial Blvd. in Carrizo Springs, Texas 78834. The bed capacity is 95.
An Inmate at San Luis Obispo County Jail Dies After Release from a Restraint Chair
The death of 36-year-old Andrew Holland on January 22, 2017, is a grim confirmation of the danger of developing a blood clot while held in a restraint chair. While Mr. Holland was incarcerated in California’s San Luis Obispo County Jail, he was placed in a restraint chair that utilizes a seven-point harness system, soft ankle and wrist straps, and “ergonomic pockets” for each leg. Restraint chair manufacturers stress that the maximum amount of time in a restraint chair should never exceed eight hours. However, Mr. Holland was forced to remain in the chair for just shy of 48 hours.
Shortly after Mr. Holland was released from the chair, he appeared to be having trouble breathing. Minutes later, he apparently stopped moving. He was pronounced deceased a short time later. After conducting an autopsy, the medical examiner determined that Mr. Holland had died from a blood clot in an artery in his right lung.
The danger of developing blood clots while restrained in a restraint chair is widely understood. Keeping any inmate for a longer time than the maximum of 8 hours increases the danger of blood clots, and jails should be held accountable for placing detainees in such a life-threatening situation.
The address of San Luis Obispo County Jail is 1585 Kansas Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405.
Compassionate Legal Help for Jail Neglect and Medical Mistreatment
If you suspect that your loved one lost their life while incarcerated in a Texas jail because of abuse, neglect, or denied medical care, it’s important to act quickly. The Law Offices of Dean Malone is committed to standing up for the rights of inmates and their families in cases involving in-custody deaths tied to negligence. Our legal team has deep experience handling these challenging and emotional cases, working to ensure accountability.
If jail mistreatment contributed to your family member’s death, we’re here to listen and help if we can. Contact us today by phone, text, or through our online form.
smchugh
smchugh