Inmate Dies in Hopkins County Jail in Sulphur Springs, Texas

The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department, in Sulphur Springs, Texas, filed a custodial death report regarding the death of Mark Alan Hicks.  Mr. Hicks was 53 years old at the time of his death.  We make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone related to Mr. Hicks’ death but are simply providing information contained in the report. 

The report provides no information about when Mr. Hicks was arrested, or the reason for his arrest.  In fact, the report is fairly short.  The entire summary reads:

Mr. Hicks was an inmate in the Hopkins County Jail housed in a cell known as “S1” a handicap cell used for inmates with medical conditions. Mr. Hicks was observed the morning of 6/1/2020 awake and using the restroom. Mr. Hicks returned to his bunk and was observed on subsequent rounds laying on his bunk in a sleeping position. At around 1200 HRS Corrections Officer Garcia attempted to awake Mr. Hicks for Lunch. Mr. Hicks did not respond to the Corrections Officer and EMS was contacted. EMS arrived on scene at about 1210 HRS. It was found that Mr. Hicks was deceased.

Aside from what happened to Mr. Hicks, prisoners in Texas jails are entitled to receive reasonable medical care.  If jailers and/or jail officers fail to provide reasonable medical care, and instead are deliberately indifferent and/or act in an objectively unreasonable manner, they can be liable to certain family members who survive an inmate who dies as a result.  Further, Texas cities, towns, and counties can be liable for jail deaths if their policies, practices, and/or customs were moving forces behind such deaths.  All of these claims arise as a result of guarantees contained in the 14^th Amendment to the United States Constitution.  Most such claims are filed in federal court in Texas. 

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.