Rick Dillion Criswell Commits Suicide in Hale County Jail

The Hale County Sheriff’s Department, in Plainview, Texas, filed a custodial death report regarding the death of Rick Dillion Criswell. Mr. Criswell was only twenty-five years old at the time of his unfortunate death. We provide in this post information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

Mr. Criswell was originally incarcerated in the Hale County, Texas jail on April 10, 2021. He passed away on or about June 22, 2021. The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety: “Subject had been in our custody for 74 days when he was found hanging (by jail stuff) in his cell when it was subject’s time to be called for outside rec.”

The report indicates that Mr. Criswell did not make suicidal statements or exhibit any mental health problems. Therefore, it is uncertain as to whether jailers had any knowledge that Mr. Criswell might harm himself.

There are unfortunately far too many suicides in Texas county jails and city holding facilities. The 14^th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of pre-trial detainees to be protected from themselves and others. It also requires that reasonable medical and/or mental health care be provided when necessary. If the Constitution is violated, and a person dies as a result, certain family members might be able to bring claims in a lawsuit. This is general information and, once again, we have no information indicating that Mr. Criswell’s death was a result of any wrongdoing.

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.