Jo Ann Lemmons Dies in Tarrant County Jail

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, in Fort Worth, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Jo Ann Lemmons.  Ms. Lemmons was 55 years old at the time of her death.  We provide information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“in-custody death of Tarrant County Inmate Jo Ann Lemmons, black female, DOB: XX/XX/1968, CID XXXXXXX, who had been house at the Tarrant County Correction Center Jail at 100 N Lamar St, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas 76196. Inmate Lemmons had been in TCSO custody since 06/24/2023 on Theft <$2,500 with 2 or More Previous Convictions.

Inmate Lemmons died on June 27, 2023 at approximately 0126 hours at John Peter Smith Hospital. Inmate Lemmons was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital via ambulance on June 26, 2023 after she experienced a medical emergency in her cell (62-A-23-01) on this date. During a face-to-face observation, the detention officer noticed that Inmate Lemmons appeared to be experiencing a medical emergency and called for Emergency Medical assistance.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office was notified and took possession of Inmate Lemons. Tarrant County Sheriff’s Detective Timothy Soria at TASoria@TarrantCountyTX.gov 817-884-1271 has been assigned the death investigation (TCSO report 2023-09131). The Fort Worth Police Department Major Case Unit will perform an independent review of the case. Further documentation and reports will follow the investigation as they become available.”

The report admits that Ms. Lemmons exhibited medical problems.  However, the report provides no information regarding any ongoing medical treatment Ms. Lemmons was receiving.

The United States Constitution requires Texas jails and jailers to provide medical care to inmates.  If jailers or medical personnel do not do so, and a person dies in a Texas jail, then certain family members may be able to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. Our firm has litigated and is litigating a number of such cases across 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.