Young County, Texas Jail Out-of-Compliance with State Standards
The Young County jail, in Graham, Texas, received a notice of non-compliance from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TJCS) after a recent death of a detainee in that jail. While the notice of non-compliance does not mention the name of the detainee, based upon our law firm’s understanding of the timing of the notice of non-compliance, it appears that the decedent referenced in that notice was Brandon Kyle Taylor. Mr. Taylor was only 31 years old at the time of his death.
The TCJS notice of non-compliance indicates that the Young County jail violated at least two minimum jail standards. First, after reviewing documentation, the TCJS determined that while a magistrate was notified as required by Texas law, there was no documentation indicating that mental health officials were notified as required. Second, after reviewing documentation and video received after the custodial death, the TCJS determined that while jailers made observation rounds, jailers did not see the decedent face-to-face as required by minimum jail standards. Moreover, documentation provided to TCJS by Young County indicated that the decedent should have been observed at minimum 30-minute intervals due to reported mental health and behavioral issues demonstrated by him.
We unfortunately see, while handling jail death cases across Texas, that jails frequently violate not only TCJS standards but standards resulting from constitutional rights. Jail experts can inform juries as to these standards in cases in which family members pursue claims related to death of their loved ones.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone