Man Dies in Atascosa County, Texas Jail

The Atascosa County Sheriff’s Department, in Jourdanton, Texas, filed a custodial death report with the Attorney General of Texas regarding the death of Jack Reynolds Roberson.  Mr. Roberson was only 30 years of age at the time of his death.  We are simply providing information in this post, which was obtained from the custodial death report, and we do not allege that anyone engaged in any wrongdoing.

Mr. Roberson was incarcerated in the Atascosa County jail.  The report indicates that Mr. Roberson made no suicidal statements at any time, did not appear intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, did not exhibit any mental health problems, and did not exhibit any medical problems.  However, on September 27, 2018, Mr. Roberson was found hanging in a single cell, apparently having committed suicide.  The report indicates that Mr. Roberson used a standard-issue bed sheet, tied to the bars of his cell door.

Pre-trial detainees in Texas county jails have rights to reasonable medical care, reasonable mental health care, and to be protected from themselves and others.  These rights arise pursuant to the United States Constitution – specifically the Fourteenth Amendment. If a county and/or its jailers and/or law enforcement officers violate these rights, they can be liable for damages pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.  Most such cases are filed in federal court.

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.