Third Dallas County Jail Detainee Dies of Water Intoxication – Third Federal Lawsuit Filed

For Immediate Release

Dallas, Texas – June 19, 2025

The Dallas County jail has a long history of significant problems resulting in constitutional violations of detainees, many of whom paid with their lives. The fact that at least three Dallas County jail detainees died during recent times from one malady – water intoxication – is specific evidence, about one cause of death, that points to a large, systemic issue of the Dallas County jail denying medical care to pretrial detainees. Yet, after the water intoxication death of Paul French, after the water intoxication death of Taylon Dickerson, and now after Spencer Swearnger’s water intoxication death, and two lawsuits that followed, Dallas County, faced with at least three opportunities to do something about the issue, changed no policies, changed no practices, and implemented no training to recognize and/or take action regarding mentally ill people dying from ingesting huge amounts of water.

Spencer was booked into the Dallas County jail on August 2, 2023. It was not Spencer’s first incarceration in that jail, and his self-harm tendencies and significant mental illness were well-documented during prior incarcerations. In fact, Dallas County records indicate that Spencer had previously attempted suicide in the jail. Dallas County records also show that Spencer had spent time in state mental health institutions. Despite Spencer’s mental health history, and despite confirmation of his mental health history and self-harm tendencies, Dallas County did not protect him. In fact, rather than immediately providing medical care on the last day of his life, when he was clearly disoriented and ill, Spencer was strapped into a restraint chair. Even after his blood pressure reading was a shocking 239/146, he still was not rushed to a local emergency room. It was not until sometime later that EMS was finally called to the jail. It was too late for Spencer, and he passed away after being transported to Parkland Hospital.

Constitutional rights lawyer Dean Malone represents Spencer’s family members and filed a federal lawsuit against Dallas County. Mr. Malone said, “It is beyond belief that there have been at least three Dallas County jail detainees, all of whom were mentally ill, dying of water intoxication. It appears that even after two prior lawsuits, and the third death that is the subject of this lawsuit, Dallas County still has not implemented any training, or changed any policies, regarding dealing with mentally ill detainees who ingest huge amounts of water due either to severe mental illness or attempting to die by suicide. Hopefully, Dallas County will finally get the message and take action to protect mentally ill people in its jail.”

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