James Ray Jackson Dies in Shelby County Jail

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, in Center, Texas, wrote a report regarding the custodial death of James Ray Jackson. Mr. Jackson was 60 years old. The report contained the following:

“On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at approximately 5:00am Jail staff discovered the inmate in Holding cell unresponsive. Correctional Officer Jimmy Reed contacted Senior Correctional Officer Richard Sims for assistance. Mr. Sims determined that inmate was unresponsive and ambulance services were requested to transport the inmate to the hospital. Upon EMT’s arrival, it was determined the inmate was deceased. The decedent was identified as Jackson, James, B/M, DOB xx/xx/xxxx. Mr. Jackson was arrested by Center Police Department on January 12, 2024 for Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon (F1). Ranger James Hicks was contacted to conduct an investigation on the death inquest. Justice of the Peace Donna Hughes pronounced Mr. Jackson deceased at 05:34am.”

Mr. Jackson’s cause of death has apparently not yet been determined at the time of writing this post. The report indicates that they are awaiting autopsy results.  The report also indicates that Mr. Jackson entered the facility on January 12, 2024 at 10:15 PM. The report further alleges that, at some point during incarceration, Mr. Jackson appeared intoxicated by alcohol or drugs. The report does not indicate anything at all about whether Mr. Jackson was receiving medical or other care related to any physical issues he might have had.

It is always unfortunate when a person dies in a jail. We find, litigating a number of lawsuits regarding jail deaths, that it is not uncommon for jailers and others to ignore serious medical needs of people who are incarcerated. In fact, statistically, more than 20% of incarcerated people with a persistent medical condition go without care. That number increases to 68% in local jails.

There iss no excuse for not providing medical care to people in our jails, regardless of what they allegedly did or did not do to arrive there. In fact, the United States Constitution requires jailers and others working in jails, who have care in custody of detainees and inmates, to protect them. This protection includes providing reasonable medical care, even for chronic healthcare conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and similar issues with which a large portion of our population suffers.  We have no idea whether there were any issues related to Mr. Jackson’s case.  Only an investigation will determine what happened.

If you have a loved one that suffered traumatic indoor life altering injuries in a jail, or who unfortunately died as a result of a jail’s negligence, we might be able to help. Feel free to contact our law firm today.

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.