On March 6, 2019, 31-year-old Cameron James Pritchett committed suicide in Washington County Jail in Brenham, Texas. The Texas Rangers conducted an investigation on his death, which is the standard procedure for custodial suicides. In addition, Washington County Jail was inspected after the tragic event. The Special Inspection Report dated March 20, 2019, shows that the jail was non-compliant in regard to an issue related to suicide prevention.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) establishes jail standards and provides enforcement. Inspectors with TCJS cited the jail standard that has the following information in the special report:

• Every hour of every day, each county jail in Texas is required to have the appropriate number of employees at the facility. There must be an established routine in which face-to-face observations of all prisoners are conducted and documented. In the general population, jailers must provide direct supervision with an observation check at least every hour. In areas of the facility where prisoners are in one of the following categories, face-to-face observations are required every 30 minutes:
  • Assaultive
  • Potentially suicidal
  • Mentally ill
  • Exhibiting bizarre behavior

Information Reflected on Note Regarding Alleged Non-Compliance

The following is the essence of the information conveyed in the Special Inspection Report:

Video evidence and documentation in association with self-reporting by members of the jail administration staff were reviewed and it was determined that the face-to-face observation that occurred before the inmate was discovered actually did not happen because a blanket was placed over the cell door. Although a jailer made the round at the required time period, there was no face-to-face observation or view of the inmate as required by minimum jail standards because of the blanket over the door.  

Washington County Jail is located at 1206 Old Independence Rd in Brenham, Texas 77833.

This website is provided for the benefit of Texas county jail prisoners, both current and former. It is never intended on this site to suggest that misdeeds have occurred on the part of persons or institutions.

–Guest Contributor