Category: Custodial Death

Valorin Michele Rodriguez, 42 years of age at the time, passed away on February 5, 2018 while being held in the Winkler County Sheriff’s Department Jail in Kermit, Texas.  Information in this post was obtained from a custodial death report filed by the Winkler County Sheriff’s Department.  We make no allegation of any wrongdoing but are instead simply providing information.

Ms. Rodriguez was allegedly serving a 10-day sentence.  The report does not indicate that Ms. Rodriguez had any pre-existing medical or mental health issues.  The report indicates that Ms. Rodriguez was found at approximately 10:35 p.m. on October 5, 2018 in a physical state which indicated that there was clearly something wrong.  Ms. Rodriguez ultimately was found unconscious, and she later passed away.  The report indicates nothing about what if anything jailers had observed in Ms. Rodriguez prior to this incident, and/or what substances (if any) she might have been given that could have caused her death.

Alejandro Morales, Jr., 48 years of age, died on or about November 1, 2017 after being in the custody of the Colorado County, Texas Sheriff’s Department.  Information in this post was obtained from a custodial death report filed by that sheriff’s office with the Attorney General of Texas.  The report provides very little information regarding Mr. Morales’ death.  Mr. Morales was 48 years old at the time.  The report indicates that Mr. Morales asked that his blood pressure be checked.  Local EMS then appeared at the jail to assist, and a decision was made to transfer Mr. Morales to an emergency room at a local hospital.  During transport, Mr. Morales experienced complications.  He ultimately passed away at the hospital.

On November 15, 2017, Jerry Louise Hill passed away after being in the custody of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Department.  Information in this post was obtained from a custodial death report filed by the Galveston County Sheriff’s Department with the Attorney General of Texas.  We make no allegations of any wrongdoing in this post but are simply providing information based on that report.

The report indicates that Ms. Hill began her incarceration at the Galveston County, Texas Jail on August 8, 2017.  Allegedly, on November 12, 2017, at approximately 9:36 p.m., while in the Galveston County Jail, Ms. Hill displayed signs of heavy breathing.  An on-duty deputy contacted jail medical personnel for assistance.  EMS was also called after jail medical personnel examined Ms. Hill.  EMS transported Ms. Hill to the University of Texas Medical Branch (“UTMB”), and Ms. Hill was admitted to the ICU.  Ms. Hill passed away three days later at UTMB.

Our firm has no information regarding the cause of death for Ms. Hill.  However, heavy breathing is a symptom of a common problem in jails – sepsis.  Sepsis is a serious illness that, if not treated properly and promptly, can cause death.  There are a number of other sepsis symptoms, including confusion and low blood pressure.  Jails should have in place specific criteria for determining whether inmates have sepsis, so that inmates can receive emergency medical treatment in a local hospital.  Once again, as referenced above, we have no indication as to what caused Ms. Hill’s death, and are making no allegation that she died of sepsis.  Information about sepsis in jails is provided simply as a public service.

Stephen Roshard Gayle, a 40-year-old man, died on September 28, 2017 while in the custody of the Temple Police Department.  We make no allegations in this post that anyone did anything wrong or inappropriate.  Instead, information obtained in this post was extracted from a custodial death report filed by the Temple Police Department with the Attorney General of Texas.

On Thursday, September 28, 2017, at approximately 7:30 p.m., the Temple Police Department received a call about a man near an apartment complex.  Several patrol officers responded to the scene, and Mr. Gayle was allegedly screaming and yelling at children playing football in the area.  Police officers ultimately decided to arrest Mr. Gayle for alleged public intoxication.  They handcuffed Mr. Gayle without resistance.  Allegedly, after Mr. Gayle was put into the police vehicle, he resided attempts to secure him into the vehicle.  Officers then hit Mr. Gayle with their hands and/or knees, and moreover physically restrained Mr. Gayle’s feet in a three-point restraint system.  Officers then removed Mr. Gayle from the vehicle and allegedly placed him on his back in the grass next to the roadway.  Police officers then allegedly called for emergency medical services to check Mr. Gayle’s well being.  Allegedly, Mr. Gayle became unresponsive while emergency personnel were assessing him.  Mr. Gayle was ultimately transported to Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, where he died.

The Harris County Constable Precinct 4 reported to the Texas State Attorney General, in a custodial death report, regarding the death of Gary Tremble occurring on or about September 29, 2017.  Information in this post was obtained from that custodial death report.

Deputies were allegedly dispatched to a street in Spring, Texas regarding an alleged family disturbance call.  Law enforcement officers located Gary Tremble, who had allegedly assaulted a person and attempted to and/or obtained access to residences in the area.  Law enforcement officers subdued Mr. Tremble and noted that he was sweating profusely.  Law enforcement officers were also advised at the scene that he was possibly under the influence of ecstasy, alcohol, and crack cocaine.  Mr. Tremble died at the scene after being subdued.  The cause of death is at this point unknown.

The majority of prisons in Texas do not have air conditioning in inmate living areas, in spite of the sweltering heat in summer months. The Darrington Unit, a maximum-security prison built in 1917, is among them. It is located in Rosharon, about 30 miles southwest of Houston. There’s nothing about this particular prison to necessarily distinguish it from others, as far as the need to give relief to at-risk inmates. Regardless of that lack of distinction, on July 19, 2017, Keith Ellison, federal district judge in Houston, ordered the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to provide inmates in the Pack Unit with air conditioning within 15 days. Medically sensitive inmates are housed in that part of The Darrington Unit.

The state announced that it is appealing the temporary order, which has a 90-day expiration date.

One of the considerations in the appeals court will be whether this matter should be a class-action suit applying to the entire prison system, as opposed to only those in Rosharon.

The matter is expected to go to trial. Judge Ellison said that he thinks his order will probably stand, which means permanent changes can be expected for Pack Unit inmates.

In the meantime, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made a statement saying it is unnecessary to take on the exorbitant cost of air conditioning systems and the electricity required to operate them. In addition, air conditioning is not mandated by the constitution. He expressed confidence that TDCJ is doing everything required to give adequate protection from the heat and to provide safeguards from heat-related illnesses. Fans and unlimited access to ice are among the measures that currently provide relief to prison inmates at The Darrington Unit, which some inmates say is a big improvement over 8 years ago.

In Texas prisons, research indicates that there have been 23 fatalities and hundreds of illnesses related to heat since 1998.

As with every post on this website, we are only providing information in this post and do not make any allegation or assertion that anyone acted inappropriately or engaged in misconduct.

–Guest Contributor