Webb County, Texas Inmate Luis Barrientos Dies in Custody

The Webb County Sheriff’s Department, in Texas, has reported yet another in-custody death to the Texas State Attorney General.  We make no allegation of any wrongdoing in this post, but are instead simply providing information in that report.

Luis Alberto Barrientos, only 22 years of age at the time, died on July 13, 2018.  The report indicates that he was placed into custody on June 26, 2018 at approximately 12:15 p.m. On July 13, 2018, Mr. Barrientos was being escorted from his cell to a shower and to see medical personnel due to apparent medical issues.  As he was about to walk into the shower area, he stopped and sat on the floor.  Mr. Barrientos indicated that he felt weak and needed to see medical.  Mr. Barrientos then collapsed on the way to medical and ultimately passed away the same day.

We have no personal knowledge of anything that happened regarding Mr. Barrientos.  However, as a general matter, pre-trial detainees in Texas have a right to receive reasonable medical care.  If a jailer or county jail has knowledge that an inmate needs medical care, and the jail or jailer refuses or fails to provide such medical care, there might be a violation of the prisoner’s rights pursuant to the 14^th Amendment of the United States constitution.  There is a federal statute that allows the person, if he or she survives, or his or her family, if he or she passes away,  to bring claims for such a constitutional violation.

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.