Falls County Jail is Cited by TCJS for the 14th time in 9 Years

A jail inspection was conducted of Falls County Jail in Marlin, Texas, on July 1, 2025. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) sent the jail a notice of non-compliance two days later. According to TCJS inspectors, Falls County Jail allegedly violated one minimum jail standard. This was at least the 14th time in the past nine years that TCJS sent the Marlin jail a notice of non-compliance. Falls County Jail is also currently listed five times on the TCJS web page that identifies jails with unresolved areas of non-compliance.

The latest alleged deficiency involves staff licensing, which was also noted as a violation during comprehensive inspections of the Falls County Jail in March and December 2024. More details from the inspector’s notes follow:

It was determined during the review of jail staff licensing that a staff member does not possess a valid TCOLE Jailers License. Since June 16, 2025, the jail staff member identified has actively worked in the facility in a supervisory capacity.

Falls County Jail’s address is 2847 Hwy 6, Marlin, TX 76661. The jail’s inmate capacity is 107.

Falls County Jail was Found Non-Compliant After an Inmate’s Death

After all inmate deaths, special jail inspections are conducted in Texas county jails. After a custodial suicide occurred in Falls County Jail in 2011, a special jail inspection occurred the following day. TCJS inspectors found that the Marlin jail was non-compliant with the rule requiring detainees in a holding cell or detoxification cell to be observed by facility personnel at intervals not to exceed 30 minutes. The inspector’s notes indicated the following:

Observation logs sent by Falls County revealed that jail staff are not completing face-to-face observation of all inmates in the holding area at least once every 30 minutes as required by minimum jail standards.

The only Falls County detainee to die in 2011 was a 32-year-old female. Tragically, she was found deceased and hanging in a holding cell less than 2 hours after the intake process was completed. Sadly, statistics show that as many as 24% or more of all jail suicides occur within the first 24 hours of incarceration.

A deputy wrote a lengthy, comprehensive summary about the incident in the custodial death report (CDR). The following are some of the details he provided:

The deceased was found by a deputy at 3:48 a.m. while he was conducting routine cell and zone checks. That deputy reported that the last time the deceased and the zone had been checked was at 3:03 a.m. The detainee was in holding cell #188.
There is a metal partition separating the commode from the rest of cell #188. The metal partition is approximately 4 feet high and has a support post. The deputy who saw that the inmate was slumped over next to the partition quickly retrieved the keys to the cell. Another jailer accompanied him back to cell #188.
Upon entering, it was observed that a sheet was tied around the neck of the deceased. The other end of the sheet was secured to the partition’s support post. Using a suicide prevention tool, the deputy cut the sheet off the inmate.
Emergency protocols were initiated, including contacting Acadian emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. However, it was quickly determined that it would not be possible to resuscitate the inmate.
After the deceased was removed from the cell, it was discovered that the left earpiece of her glasses had been removed. There were scratch marks on the floor. It was concluded that the detainee had attempted to sharpen the earpiece and use it in an attempt to cut her wrists.
The jailer who handled the booking of the deceased was questioned. She said that the inmate did not make any indication that she was contemplating suicide. Because she did not exhibit any suicidal tendencies, no suicide precautions were taken.

Legal Guidance After Mistreatment or Neglect in Jail

Incarceration does not mean forfeiting your basic rights. Did a family member die behind bars, and you suspect it was because they were being denied essential medical care or subjected to abuse or neglect? If so, those responsible should be held accountable. The Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., is here to help. Our firm is experienced in handling complex wrongful death cases involving jail negligence, and we’re committed to pursuing justice on behalf of affected families.

Reach out today for a free and private consultation. You can contact us by phone, text, or through our secure online form.

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