Man Commits Suicide in Custody of Bexar County Jail in San Antonio, Texas

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office filed a custodial death report with the Attorney General of Texas regarding the death of Domingo Altamirano.  Mr. Altamirano was 32 years of age at the time of his death.  Information in this post was obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

Mr. Altamirano was initially incarcerated on or about March 23, 2018 at the Bexar County jail.  On April 28, 2018, at approximately 6:44 p.m., Mr. Altamirano was found in his cell with a noose around his neck.  Security and medical personnel attempted lifesaving efforts.  He was ultimately transported to a local hospital and placed on life support.  Family members decided to remove him from life support, and he passed away on May 3, 2018.

The custodial death report indicates that Mr. Altamirano had made suicidal statements.  Interestingly, it also indicates that it was “unknown” whether he exhibited any mental health problems, was or was not intoxicated, and exhibited any medical problems.

Jail hangings continue to be the primary manner in which inmates in Texas die, other than by natural causes.  Jails need to do more to keep such inmate suicides from occurring.  Sheriffs, jails, and jailers should know, when they have a potentially suicidal inmate, that they must take certain actions.  Also, there must be continuous monitoring to avoid a person committing suicide.  People have rights pursuant to the 14^th Amendment to the United States Constitution, as pretrial detainees, to reasonable mental and medical care.  Some jail detainees also have rights pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act (federal laws) to receive appropriate services related to mental health treatment.

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.