Richard Edgerton, age 49, died on September 6, 2019, a day after being booked into Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas. According to the Custodial Death Report, the cause of death was methamphetamine and heroin toxicity.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards includes instructions on the admission of inmates. Health tags are required during the admission process. These health tags are designed to identify when a prisoner in a Texas county jail has special mental or medical health needs. Any needs that inmates have related to health must be brought to the attention of either the supervisor on duty or health personnel.

Detoxification cells are among the requirements for county jails. According to a former Texas jail nurse who has chosen to remain anonymous in sharing her experience, complete medical intake is taken within four to six hours of being incarcerated. Controlled substances are not permitted. A detox protocol involves being housed in a detox cell for a minimum of 10 days. As needed, inmates can stay up to 45 days in a detox cell to receive medical care during the detoxification process.

See Part 1 and this ongoing series. In the next segment, learn about a report of non-compliance in which a Texas county jail failed to conduct the required interval for face-to-face observations of inmates being held in detoxification cells.

It is not intended on this website to make implications of wrongdoing on the part of individuals or entities. Posts on this site are added to help Texas county jail inmates, whether currently or formerly incarcerated.

–Guest Contributor