Richard Altamirano Dies After Being in Bexar County Jail

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, in San Antonio, TX, filed a report regarding the death of Richard Altamirano. Mr. Altamirano was only 58 years old at the time of his death. We provide in this post information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrong doing against anyone.

Summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On November 08, 2021 at approximately 0220 hours, a welfare check was conducted on inmate Altamirano, Richard SID#276215, due to him refusing a diabetic check. Upon Corporal C. Cruz arrival to inmate Altamirano’s assigned cell, she initiated a code for medical assistance. Once inmate Altamirano was evaluated in medical, a subsequent Code 1 blue (medical emergency), was initiated. At approximately 0253 hours, the SAFD Ambulance arrived to the facility and departed at approximately 0315 hours, along with Deputy S. Montez. At approximately 0332 Dr. Kristen Baker pronounced inmate Altamirano deceased.”

The report also indicates that the date and time of Mr. Altamirano’s custody was 12:40 pm on November 5, 2021. The report indicates nothing about what occurred between that time and the November 8, 2021 incident.

The United States Constitution guarantees the right of those in Texas jails to receive reasonable medical care, it also assures the right to such persons to receive reasonable mental health care. If these rights are violated, and a person dies as a result, then pursuant to the 14^th Amendment, certain surviving family members may be able to file a lawsuit. These lawsuits are typically prosecuted 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.