In connection with inmate deaths, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) made changes to jail standards in 2009. Since that time, county jails in Texas have been required to report every custodial death. In addition, TCJS has been conducting jail inspections following all custodial deaths since that time, which was another new requirement added to minimum jail standards. In 2017, another procedural rule was added under the Sandra Bland Act, that requirement being that all inmate deaths must be investigated by an outside agency and not just local jurisdictions where the deaths have occurred.

In spite of these measures to accurately track inmate deaths in Texas, jails have found ways around the reporting of custodial deaths. The typical strategy for skirting these laws is to suddenly release a prisoner from custody just prior to their death.

Among these incidents that almost escaped scrutiny is one involving the death of a 47-year-old woman. Her death was eventually scrutinized, but prior to that, it has been discovered that the jail did not notify TCJS of her death. The Texas Rangers did not initially investigate the death because it was not reported. Finally, the health care the woman received in the jail was inspected by TCJS, but there was never an investigation of potential criminal wrongdoing by the Texas Rangers. In addition, the jail’s video footage related to the inmate’s health issues had not been reviewed by an outside agency, as required.

All because of the strategy of releasing the inmates from the care of the jail facility just before death, neither the jail staff nor anyone else was placed under scrutiny or held accountable for the woman’s death.

Learn more in this continuing series.

The posts on this website are meant to assist Texas prisoners and their families. At no time is there an intention to infer misdeeds on the part of any institution or person.

–Guest Contributor