Upton County Jail Fails to Comply with 3 Texas Standards
A special jail inspection of Upton County Jail was conducted on September 2, 2025. A Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) Inspector discovered three violations of minimum jail standards at the Rankin, Texas jail. TCJS sent the Sheriff of Upton County Jail a noncompliance notice on September 30, 2025.
- About the alleged violation of Rule §273.5(b)-Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan, which is in the chapter on Health Services, the TCJS inspector conveyed the following concerning the correct handling of the Screening Instrument:
- The date and time of notification to the magistrate are required but were absent on three occasions. In one case, the required notification to the LMHA was absent the date and time. On one occasion, an affirmative answer to screening questions was not accompanied by comments, which are required. Also, a positive CCQ return was identified, but that CCQ match was not indicated on the screening form.
- The jail was cited for violating Rule §283.1(3)-Inmate Discipline Plan in the chapter on Discipline and Grievances. The inspector’s notes indicated the following:
- On one occasion, sanctions were administered to an inmate before the offer of a hearing or waiver.
- Upton County Jail allegedly violated Rule §285.1-Physical Exercise in the chapter on Recreation and Exercise, and the TCJS inspector’s notes are summed up as follows:
- Of 21 inmates, 11 did not receive the required one hour three times per week of physical recreation or physical exercise.
The address of the Upton County Jail is 1106 Grand Street, Rankin, Texas 79778. The jail’s bed capacity is 54.
Upton County Jail Fails to Distribute Medications Per Physicians’ Orders
In April 2024, Upton County Jail was cited for violating the rule requiring medications to be distributed according to doctors’ orders. Denying medical care to inmates by failing to administer medications can have catastrophic consequences. Certain medications are critical to a person to the extent that if they fail to take the prescribed medication as directed, it can quickly result in their death.
Essential Anti-Rejection Medication
When a person receives the transplant of an organ–such as a kidney, lung, heart, or liver–the body’s immune system naturally attacks the foreign organ, identifying it as a threat. For the transplant to be successful, anti-rejection medications are essential. These medicines suppress the immune system, but there is a delicate balance to achieve. Immunosuppression must be strong enough to prevent the body from rejecting the new organ, but not too strong because the immune system needs to continue to be capable of fighting off severe infections.
Tragedy Occurs After a Transplant Recipient Goes to Jail
Going to jail is not typically a planned or timed event. On the rare occasions when it is, no one should go to jail when they require medical treatment for a chronic condition. A study showed that about 70% of the inmates in that very situation were denied medical treatment while they were incarcerated, though they made their medical issues known.
Fifty-four-year-old Dexter Barry found himself on the way to jail during a time when he was taking necessary medication each day. He was a heart transplant recipient, and among the medications he required was an immunosuppressant that prevented his body from rejecting his new heart. There is a video of Mr. Barry telling officials about the essential medicine.
Tragically, jail staff at Florida’s Duval County Jail allegedly denied Mr. Barry the daily doses of the medication, though they had been supplied with the prescription. Dexter Barry was declared deceased less than a week after his arrest and transport to the Duval County Jail. His cause of death was a heart attack resulting from an acute rejection of the heart.
Five hundred Adams Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202 is the address of Duval County Jail, which is also known as the John E. Goode Pretrial Detention Facility.
Need Legal Assistance After Jail Neglect or Abuse?
Being detained in a county or city jail does not mean forfeiting your fundamental rights. When individuals in custody experience mistreatment—such as being denied proper medical care—those responsible must be held accountable.
If you’ve lost a loved one in a Texas jail and believe neglect or poor conditions played a role in their death, or if you personally suffered serious harm due to jail negligence, the Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C. may be able to help. Our firm is dedicated to handling jail death and medical neglect cases, using years of experience to guide clients through these complex cases. Contact us anytime by phone, text, or through our secure online form.
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