Tobe Lee Fluty, Jr. Dies After Randall County, Texas Incarceration

The Randall County Sheriff’s Department, in Amarillo, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Tobe Lee Fluty, Jr. Mr. Fluty was only 42 years old at the time of his death. We provide in the post information we obtained from that report and make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety “Inmate Fluty, Tobe Lee, Jr DOB xx/xx/xxxx was arrested and booked on 01/19/2023 for four Amarillo Municipal charges. On 01/22/2023 Inmate Fluty reported having chest pains and possible cardiac issues and was transported to North West Texas Hospital. He was seen and tested by hospital staff and later cleared to return to the jail. On 01/23/2023 10:59AM Inmate Fluty was taken to medical at request of the Officer on duty in the housing area Fluty was assigned. At 11:15 Inmate Fluty was cleared by medical having normal vital signs. 11:29 Inmate Fluty was returned to medical by wheel chair after falling in the hallway outside of his housing location. At 11:35 it appears inmate Fluty is unconscious and life saving measures were started. At 11:50 inmate Fluty is loaded on the Ambulance’s gurney and loaded into the Ambulance for transport to North West Texas Hospital. CPR was being provided in the Medical area and as they were loading inmate Fluty into the Ambulance. Inmate Fluty regained a heartbeat either in-route to the hospital or on arrival emergency room and he was listed in critical condition. Randall County Sheriff’s Office was notified by North West Texas Hospital staff that inmate Fluty had died Custodial Death Report :: Page 7 of 7 01/24/2023 at 8:08AM. The Texas Rangers had already been notified on 01/23/2023 of the situation with inmate Fluty and Ranger Scott Swick began his investigation. He was also notified of inmate Fluty’s death and he went to the hospital to continue his investigation. Inmate Fluty’s autopsy is scheduled for 01/26/2023 at 8:30AM at Texas Panhandle Forensics in Lubbock texas.”

Mr. Fluty was apparently arrested only for failing to have insurance and control his speed.

Jails in Texas are required to provide appropriate medical care to detainees. If jailers and/or others fail to provide appropriate medical care, and a person dies as a result, then certain family members may be entitled to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. Our firm is litigating a number of such cases across Texas.

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.