Red River County, Texas Jail Fails Inspection by Texas Commission on Jail Standards

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”), on July 24, 2019, inspected the Red River County jail. The Red River County, Texas jail is in Clarksville, Texas. Apparently, the TCJS conducted the special inspection as a result of the suicide of Christopher Wayne Cabler. Mr. Cabler was 41 years of age at the time of his death, and he passed away on May 5, 2019.

The TCJS special inspection report found three specific areas in which the Red River County, Texas jail failed to comply with minimum jail standards. First, all medical instructions of designated physicians shall be followed. The TCJS inspector, after reviewing medical documentation, determined that medications prescribed after a hospital visit were only administered for three days with no indication that medication had been continued. There were also two additional medications that were given to Mr. Cabler where no corresponding doctor’s order for those medications could be provided.

The second standard which the TCJS inspector found that the Red River County, Texas jail violated was that relating to procedures for intake screening to identify prisoners who are known to be or observed to be mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal. The TCJS inspector could find no documentation to prove that a referral was made to an available mental health official, as required on the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments.  Someone notified a magistrate.  However, the magistrate notification was completed incorrectly and did not advise the magistrate of the problems documented on the mental health screening form.  Further, the CCQ match was not documented on the form.

Finally, TCJS noted that the jail violated the minimum standard that an approved mental disability/suicide prevention screening instrument shall be completed immediately on all inmates admitted.  The state inspector noted that the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments was not completed in its entirety as required by minimum jail standards.  As a result of these issues, the Red River County jail is listed as non-compliant by the TCJS.  

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.