Jose Trinidad Barrera Dies After Incarceration in Bexar County Jail

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, in San Antonio, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Jose Trinidad Barrera. Mr. Barrera was 60 years old at the time of his death. We provide information we obtained from the report filed by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing.

That aside, there have been a significant number of deaths in the Bexar County jail over the last several years. Moreover, the Bexar County jail apparently continues to have significant issues. Our law firm is currently representing one family in a lawsuit against Bexar County regarding a custodial death.

Regarding Mr. Barrera, the summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, a Code 1 Blue (Medical Emergency) was initiated for inmate Barrera, Jose #XXXXXX, at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, Annex. Inmate was transported to St. Luke’s Baptist where he remained until his death on July 7, 2023. On Friday, July 7, 2023, at approximately 1235 hours, inmate was transported from his assigned hospital room to the operating room to prepare for organ harvesting surgery. At 1328 hours, inmate was removed from the ventilator. At 1403 hours, it was reported that the inmate stopped breathing. At 1433 hours, inmate was pronounced deceased per Dr. Francisco Guarjardo, while RN Olivia Goush was present. At the time of death, surgery commenced. The procedure was reported as completed at 1622 hours. The inmate was transported to the mortuary at 1711 hours.”

The report indicates that Mr. Barrera originally entered the jail at 9:24 a.m. on June 1, 2023. The report provides no additional information regarding any ongoing medical issues and/or treatment Mr. Barrera was receiving.

Texas jails must provide medical care to detainees and inmates. Jails must also protect inmates from known issues and other inmates. If jails fail to protect detainees, arrestees, and/or inmates, and/or fail to provide medical care, and a detainee, arrestee, or inmate dies as a result, then the family of such a person may be able to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. This is due to such guarantees being provided by the United States Constitution. Our Texas jail civil rights injury law firm is litigating a number of such cases across Texas and are experienced in doing so.

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.