An Agitated Inmate Resists Detention Officers Continued

Using force against the disruptive inmate, Texas jailers attempted to place restraints on him so that he could not injure himself or others. Both hand and leg restraints were used to secure the inmate. Jailers sat the man up into a sitting position and realized that he was no longer responsive. The jailers moved him a short distance into a safety vestibule and began administering CPR. Emergency services were quickly requested, and members of the ambulance service continued the CPR that was in progress. They finally stopped after approximately 43 minutes of trying to revive the man. Texas Rangers investigated the 37-year-old inmate’s death.

Physical Restraint Contributed to Death

A 28-year-old man with a stab wound was creating a disturbance at a Dallas location in 2014, and a total of eight officers ultimately showed up at the scene. The suspect was naked and displayed evidence of being in a state of excited delirium. Several officers grabbed the man, and a taser was discharged, though it appeared to have no effect on the suspect. The man was taken to the ground, and multiple officers assisted in getting him handcuffed. He was placed on a gurney on his stomach, and paramedics strapped him down. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery for the stab wound. He was pronounced dead during the surgery. He had tested positive for cocaine and marijuana. The reported cause of death was Anoxic ischemic encephalopathy, which was a result of the excited delirium caused by cocaine use together with physical restraint in a prone position.

See Part 1 and Part 2 of this ongoing series. In the next segment, learn what else happened leading up to the inmate’s death.

The posts on this website are provided as resources to help  Texas inmates and their families. It is never intended to imply that improprieties occurred on the part of an institution or individual.

–Guest Contributor