Press Release: Travis County Settles Jail Suicide Case

Travis County Settles Jail Suicide Case

For Immediate Release

Austin, Texas – 2/28/2025

Jared “J.J.” Bell was arrested at an Austin-area hospital on February 7, 2022. Jared’s brother had taken him to the hospital to get help because Jared was experiencing psychosis and self-harm tendencies. Jared asked to be taken to The Sobering Center. However, instead of being taken to a location at which he could receive help, he was arrested pursuant to an outstanding warrant and transported to the Travis County jail.

Travis County jail booking documents indicate that Jared had a psychiatric disorder. They also indicate that Jared had been seen at Dell Seton hospital for issues including psychosis. They further indicate that Jared had been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder with paranoia and delusions. Documents also listed bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and auditory hallucinations as mental health issues.

Jared was placed on suicide watch when he was originally incarcerated in the Travis County jail, and according to a report filed by Travis County with the State of Texas, he was on suicide watch at the time of his death.

Jared asked at one point during his incarceration to use a phone. He was initially taken to one cell where he was allowed to remain for a period of time and attempted to use a phone with a lengthy phone cord. Once that phone apparently did not work, jailers took Jared to another cell at or near the end of a hallway to allow him to use a different phone with a lengthy cord. That cell was fairly large and referred to as a “day room.” Jared was left alone for nearly an hour to use a phone, with a lengthy cord, looking like a noose when the receiver was on the base hook. Jared used the lengthy metal phone cord as a ligature and died by suicide.

Constitutional rights attorney Dean Malone filed suit on behalf of family members. Attorneys Jessica Bebawi, Alexandra Payne, and Jennifer Kingaard also worked on the case. After several months of discovery, including the taking of depositions, the case settled after a successful mediation.

Attorney Dean Malone said, “J.J. should have never been allowed access to a telephone cord and left alone for a lengthy period of time, when the Travis County jail knew that he was suicidal. There is no reason that a jail as large and resourced as the Travis County jail should allow people with significant mental health issues to be left alone in parts of the jail with ready ligatures. Hopefully this settlement will cause other jails to better protect mentally ill detainees.”

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