Man Dies After Being in Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas
The Bell County Sheriff’s Department, in Belton, Texas, filed a custodial death report regarding the death of Randall Glenn Spencer. Mr. Spencer was 53 years old 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 related to Mr. Spencer’s death.
Mr. Spencer originally arrived at the Bell County jail, in Belton, Texas, on May 11, 2019 at 11:27 a.m. He had been transported to the Bell County jail by the Killeen Police Department.
Mr. Spencer was housed in the jail’s infirmary on May 11, 2019 at 8:38 p.m. due to pre-existing heart issues, alcoholism, and COPD. The report does not indicate whether Mr. Spencer received any medical treatment between 11:27 a.m. and 8:38 p.m. on May 11, 2019.
On May 13, 2019, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Mr. Spencer complained of shortness of breath. When medical staff arrived to the housing door, Mr. Spencer dropped to his hands and knees. Medical staff provided a breathing treatment to Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer stopped breathing, and medical staff notified the jailer working in the infirmary that he or she needed to call “911” and request assistance from jail staff for a medical emergency.
Emergency medical treatment was subsequently provided to Mr. Spencer, ultimately by EMS. Mr. Spencer was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased at 8:45 p.m.
In Texas, as well as throughout the United States, county jail inmates are entitled to reasonable medical care. If jailers or jail medical personnel are deliberately indifferent to medical needs of inmates, then they can be liable to surviving family members in the event the inmate dies. This liability arises under the United States Constitution. We make no such allegation regarding Mr. Spencer’s situation but instead are providing general information.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone