Shamond Titas Lewis Dies After Incarceration in Dallas County, Texas Jail

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, in Dallas, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Shamond Titas Lewis. Mr. Lewis was only 24 years old at the time of his death. We provide information we obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On Thursday, September 22, 2022, at approximately 12:17 p.m., officers with the Dallas Police Department processed Arrestee Shamond Titas Lewis (B/M xx-xx-xxxx, 24yoa) into the Dallas County Jail at 111 W. Commerce St., City of Dallas, Dallas County, TX 75207. LEWIS was arrested for the onsite offense of Aggravated Assault w/Deadly Weapon, F2258354. During the booking process, LEWIS was placed on suicide precaution and monitored in an Intake holding single cell. At approximately 11:34 p.m., detention staff transferred LEWIS to the second-floor Release Section to be processed into a housing unit. LEWIS was placed into a single cell holding unit. On Friday, September 23, 2022, at approximately 12:41 a.m., jail staff escorted LEWIS to be processed through the vault. Staff than escorted LEWIS to the changeout room to change into jail attire, which he refused. Staff restrained LEWIS by placing him in handcuffs Staff changed LEWIS into jail attire. Staff placed LEWIS into a six-point soft restraint chair. Staff transported LEWIS to the South Tower Jail 2nd Floor Medical Assessment Program to be accessed by medical staff before being housed in his assigned unit. As staff provided LEWIS with water, he became unresponsive. Staff transported LEWIS to the nurse’s station for medical attention. Paramedics with Acadian Ambulance arrived on the scene and transported LEWIS to Parkland Hospital at 5200 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75235. On Thursday, September 29, 2022, at approximately 6:48 p.m., Doctor Vincent Delgado (PMH) Pronounced Shamond Titas Lewis deceased. On Sunday, October 2, 2022, a forensic autopsy was conducted at the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the findings are pending, IFS-22-19467-ME.”

Oddly, the report provided the answer “unknown” in response to the following questions: Whether Mr. Lewis appeared intoxicated, made suicidal statements, exhibited any mental health problems, exhibited any medical problems, and/or physically attempted to assault officers.

The United States Constitution provides guarantees to those arrested and ultimately incarcerated in Texas county jails. That protection, under the 4^th Amendment, is protection against unreasonable force. Protection under the 14^th Amendment requires that jailers and others provide reasonable medical and mental health care to people incarcerated in Texas jails. If these constitutional guarantees are violated, and a person dies as a result, then certain surviving family members may be able to file a lawsuit. Our Texas jail neglect law firm litigates such cases all over Texas, and they are typically filed 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.