Inmate Robert Dodd was Found Deceased in McLennan County TX
Fifty-six-year-old detainee Robert B. Dodd was in the McLennan County Jail in Waco from April 3, 2023, until his death on May 25, 2023. The McLennan County Sheriff’s Department filed the custodial death report (CDR) about Mr. Dodd on February 8, 2024, although filing was due no later than June 25, 2023. The McLennan County Jail facility where Mr. Dodd was declared deceased is known as Jack Harwell Detention Center. The address is 3101 E. Marlin Hwy, Waco TX 76705. The detention center has an 816-bed capacity.
An autopsy was performed revealing Mr. Dodd’s medical cause of death. The CDR states that he “Died as a result of cardiomegaly. Pneumonia and physical debility contributed to his demise.”
How Did this Custodial Death Occur?
The summary of how Mr. Dodd’s death occurred lacks the usual indication that there were lifesaving attempts before he was pronounced deceased. It blankly states that on the day of his death, “Inmate Robert Dodd was discovered deceased by jail staff during breakfast meal service.”
Then the report goes on to reveal that on the day before, May 24, 2023, Mr. Dodd was seen by medical staff as a result of a fall in the shower. Medical staff had noted that due to a decline in his mobility, likely a result of a neurological disease, the best housing unit would be an ADA single cell. So, he had been rehoused in a single-cell medical unit in the medical ward.
Robert Dodd wasn’t “found nonresponsive,” as is usually stated when an inmate ends up being declared deceased. Rather, he was “discovered deceased.” There is no mention of the intervals in which he was being observed face-to-face in the medical unit as required by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
In the general population, detainees are observed every 60 minutes. Inmates who are at risk due to being potentially suicidal or mentally ill or who have behaved bizarrely are observed at least every 30 minutes. It appears that the only other requirement with regard to the timing of the observations of detainees is when they are in restraints, such as a restraint chair. In those cases, observations are required every 15 minutes.
Are Detainees Protected Against Medical Neglect?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that it is a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment when convicted incarcerated individuals are deprived of reasonably adequate medical care. The Fourteenth Amendment applies to people who have not yet had a trial and who thus have not been convicted.
An inmate in Texas has rarely been found to be a possible victim of medical neglect if judged by the information revealed in jail inspection reports. Under the rules of jail operations in Texas, inmates must be provided with efficient and prompt care for acute and emergency medical situations. In addition, provisions shall be made for inmates to receive mental, medical, and dental services. Coryell County Jail in Gatesville, Texas, for example, was cited for a violation of this rule. The inspector’s notes in the jail inspection report from an April 2022 inspection follow:
- During a review of a complaint regarding the Coryell County Jail, it was determined that an inmate reported being injured and requested medical care. The staff nurse advised staff to summon EMS for further evaluation and care for transport to the hospital. Records show that it was over 24 hours before EMS was called.
Is Help Available for Cases of Medical Neglect?
Per the results of a recent study, about 68% of county and city jail detainees who suffer from persistent medical problems go without medical care while incarcerated. That is shockingly high number. As a result of medical neglect or any type of jail neglect when you were incarcerated in a municipal or county jail, have you suffered serious medical issues? Or has a loved one died because of neglect suffered while in a U.S. jail? If so, contact our office. We are currently handling jail neglect cases, as we have been doing for years. We have a team dedicated to jail death cases. If we can, we will help with your case. Our phone lines are always open. Call us, text us, or complete our online form to reach out to us today.
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