Montgomery County Jail Inmate Commits Suicide
An inmate in the Montgomery County, Texas Jail committed suicide by hanging on or about September 9, 2017. He was allegedly convicted of a crime and sentenced on or about August 24, 2017. Allegedly, the man was discovered by a detention officer while making rounds – 25 minutes into a 30-minute round.
We make no allegation in this post that anyone acted inappropriately regarding the inmate’s death. However, suicide in county jails continues to be a significant problem in Texas. A Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judge wrote many years ago that, when an inmate is suicidal and/or expresses an intent to harm himself or herself, periodic viewings are insufficient. That judge wrote that jails must continually observe such inmates. Moreover, suicidal inmates should not be left with items in their cell with which they can harm themselves.