Complaints against a county jail outside of Texas have been numerous for years, yet records show that no disciplinary or legal actions typically occur. The jail is in the spotlight, thanks to the efforts of an investigative reporter. The reporter is now airing complaints that have previously been lodged against the jail.

According to the results of the investigation, nursing staff and deputies continuously ignored an inmate as he begged for help for hours before dying. An internal investigation that followed the inmate’s tragic passing held no one accountable for the events leading up to his death. Other findings include lack of state oversight, dozens of inmate fatalities at that facility, and evidence that a sheriff attempted to prevent the public from learning the truth about the jail’s death records.

The following are among the actions said to be a direct result of the investigative report:

• A District Attorney has requested a federal investigation of deaths at the jail in question.
• A leading law enforcement agency in that state has opened an administrative review into the death of the aforementioned inmate.
• A state representative has announced an intention to file proposed legislation requiring all future jail deaths to be scrutinized under independent investigations as opposed to continuing with in-house oversight.

Read this continuing series to learn more of the findings from the investigative reporter as well as the resulting actions.

All posts on this website are provided as helpful resources. It is never intended in any of the site’s posts to make a suggestion of any sort that an institution or person has been involved in impropriety.

–Guest Contributor