Leslie Joron Thackston Dies After Dallas County, Texas Jail Incarceration

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, in Dallas, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Leslie Joron Thackston. Ms. Thackston was 44 years old at the time of her death. In this post, 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:

“On July 15, 2023, at approximately 9:47 p.m., Thackston, Leslie Joron B/F XX-XX-1979 (Decedent) was booked into the Dallas County Jail – Lew Sterrett Justice Center by the Dallas Police Department on the charges of Insufficient Bond Theft of Property >+$750+$750=$100<$750 Warrant #2025117. On July 18, 2023, the Decedent was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital (PMH) with Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in progress. Parkland Memorial Hospital Dr. Sarah Wells pronounced the Decedent deceased at 7:44 a.m. On July 19, 2023, the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the Decedent, the results are pending.”

In response to the following questions: appear intoxicated (alcohol or drugs); make suicidal statements, exhibit any mental health problems; and exhibit any medical problems; the report, surprisingly, provides the response “Unknown.” The report also provides no information regarding what medical treatment Ms. Thackston was receiving.

The United States Constitution requires Texas jails to provide reasonable medical care and mental health care to detainees. If a detainee in a Texas jail dies because of a failure to provide medical care, then certain surviving family members may be able to bring a federal civil rights lawsuit. Our Texas constitutional rights law firm is litigating a number of such cases across Texas, including one case against Dallas County. 

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.