On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, Smith County Sheriff Larry R. Smith announced that at Smith County Jail in Tyler, Texas, a prisoner was discovered hanging inside a side cell at approximately 1:25 p.m. The prisoner’s condition was described as “very critical.” A detention officer made the discovery, and the prisoner was immediately cut down. Other personnel rendered aid. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was quickly initiated. The Tyler Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services responded to the call and continued efforts to save the man’s life as he was transported to a local hospital. The identity of the prisoner has not been revealed. Authorities said that he was admitted to the jail on November 2, and he had been on suicide watch.
The prisoner who hanged himself was considered to be a danger to other prisoners, and authorities say that’s why he was segregated to a side cell. The reason he was on suicide watch was because of some of his answers at initial booking. As a suicide risk, it was required that he be on 10-minute observation schedule. Records showed that he had been checked 9 minutes before being found hanging in the cell.
The sheriff said the Texas Rangers and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards had been notified about the attempted jail suicide.
Anytime there is a custodial death or injury, an investigation is done, to determine whether there was any type of negligence, such as a lapse in following jail standards and procedures, that could have contributed to the incident. Families of people who were harmed or who died while in custody often file civil lawsuits, if they feel that their loved one was the victim of a wrongful death.
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