Category: Medical Care

Christy Michelle Slayton was booked into Kaufman County Jail in Kaufman, Texas, on September 10, 2019. While still in the holding cell, Ms. Slayton, age 30, was discovered unresponsive. She was on life support until September 12 and died on September 14, four days after her incarceration.

Suicide prevention is one of the greatest concerns in correctional facilities. A study that was conducted by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) identified various strategies that could help to reduce incidents of custodial suicide. The following is more information:

Training

Comprehensive training on suicide prevention should be provided for all health and jail staff members on a recurring basis. Topics that should be covered in training should include:

• Times when a person is at a high risk for suicide
• How to avoid negative attitudes regarding suicide prevention
• Warning signs and symptoms, encompassing behavioral and verbal cues
• Identifying suicidal prisoners despite their denial of risk
• Why correctional environments exacerbate the potential for suicidal behavior

Adequate Staffing

It is not uncommon for correctional institutions to function with staff shortages. When there are staff vacancies in the area of mental health, inmates do not get the benefit of attentive, thoughtful, and comprehensive suicide risk assessments. Instead, cursory screenings are conducted, which can result in an increased risk of inmate suicide.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

The posts on the site are intended as potentially helpful resources for inmates in Texas county jails. There is no intention on this website to infer wrongs on the part of persons or entities.

–Guest Contributor

The Harris County Sheriff’s Department, in Houston, Texas, filed a custodial death report regarding the death of Bobbie Jo Thompson. Ms. Thompson was 53 years old at the time of her death. We provide information obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone regarding Ms. Thompson’s death. The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On July 20, 2021, the decedent returned from her court setting and requested to see medical personnel, due to not feeling well. The decedent was assessed in the clinic for shortness of breath and was placed on oxygen. The Houston Fire Department transported the decedent to St Joseph Hospital to rule out COVID-19 and/or pneumonia. At 9:57 p.m., a medical provider pronounced death.”

Thus, the report does not provide any information regarding any pre-existing medical conditions which Ms. Thompson may have had, whether she had been observed for any such medical conditions, or whether she was receiving any treatment for ongoing medical conditions. The United States Constitution guarantees the right of pre-trial inmates in Texas county jails to receive reasonable medical care. If a person does not receive reasonable medical care, and dies as a result, then certain family members may be able to file a lawsuit for damages against a county and/or jailers.

The Corpus Christi City Marshall, in Corpus Christi, Texas, filed a custodial death report with the Attorney General of Texas regarding the death of Felipe Viviano Garcia. Mr. Garcia was only 31 years old at the time of his death. We make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone in this post, but are instead simply providing information contained in that report.

The report indicates that Mr. Garcia did not exhibit any mental health problems, did not receive any medical treatment, and did not exhibit any medical problems. The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On 08-02-2021 at 12:29am Spohn South Hospital ER on 5950 Saratoga Blvd called reference to (DE) Felipe Viviano Garcia (XX-XX-XX) that had arrived at the ER via Taxi. ER staff advised that Felipe appeared to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs and had walked out refusing treatment. ER staff advised that Felipe was outside by the ambulance bay door. At around 1:08am Officer A. Cisneros #15056 (C460) and Officer G. Montelongo #15216 (C470) were dispatched to the noted call above. It should be noted the call pended for a little due to call for service volume. Officer Cisneros and Officer Montelongo arrived around 1:12am and contacted Felipe outside the Hospital HR. Felipe was subsequently arrested for Public Intoxication, Criminal Trespass, and Resisting Arrest/Search/Transport, Reference CCPD case #: 2108020003. Officer Cisneros`s report narrative for case #: 2108020003: “On 8-2-21 I Officer A. Cisneros #15056 and Officer G. Montelongo #15216 were dispatched to 5950 Saratoga Blvd in reference to an intoxicated subject by the ambulance bay. Officers arrived on scene and made contact with a male subject who would later be identified as (OF) Felipe Garcia. He was standing outside of the bay doors to the hospital and refusing to leave. On site security was there and they advised they had also asked him to leave several times and he would not leave. He was talking to officers and not making much sense. He had medical tabs on him as he was already seen by hospital staff and had been discharged. We continued to talk to him and told him he needed to leave the property as he no longer had a need to be there and we could find other options to get him to where he need to go. He refused and at this time he was placed under arrest for Criminal Trespass. He was placed in handcuffs and officers began to escort him to our very clearly marked police unit. He began to use his physical strength to prevent officers from placing him in a secure unit. As officers began to try to place him in the marked police car and he continued using his physical strength and body to resist officers. It was obvious he was not in his normal mental and physical facilities during this time. CDR Reports :: Page 3 of 3 He was placed under arrest for Criminal Trespassing, Public Intoxication, and Resisting Arrest (transport). He had to be physical placed into the transport van and continued the entire time of resisting. He was transported to CDC to be booked. It should be noted that while escorting the subject to the vehicle, he continued his resistive nature and in order to gain control he was placed against the back of the unit. During this time his body caused a dent near the passenger`s side back door. Lt. P. Janko was advised and responded. Photos of the damage were taken and employee statements were completed.” -End Officer Cisneros`s report narrative At around 1:22am Felipe was placed into custody. It was around this time while Officers were attempting to get Felipe into Unit #7345. During the process due to Felipe`s resisting he had struck his head on the passenger rear quarter panel. At around 1:24am Transport Officer C. Callis #1184 (P5814) was started to Spohn South Hospital ER. At around 1:45am Transport Officer Callis transported Felipe to the City Detention Center on 601 Leopard St for booking in CCPD Transport Unit #785. At around 2:10am Felipe was photographed and booked into the City Detention Center. At around 5:08am Transport Officer R. Jimenez #15694 (CDC1) transported Felipe in CCPD Transport Unit #0786 to the Nueces County Jail on 901 Leopard St for county booking. At around 5:30am while at the Nueces County Jail in the sally port entrance area waiting to get booked in Felipe had a medical emergency and collapsed. Medics (M1) were started to the location. At around 5:40am Medics were on scene at the Nueces County Jail and were advising CPR was in progress. Medics then transported Felipe to Spohn Shoreline Hospital on 600 Elizabeth St with CPR in progress the whole way there. Medical staff at Spohn Shoreline Hospital continued CPR and other lifesaving measures. At around 6:06am hospital staff/doctors advised that Felipe was deceased. Crime scene were secured at the Nueces County Jail and Spohn Shoreline Hospital and all involved CCPD units were secured. CID and ID were requested to the scenes”.

It is interesting to say the least that the summary portion above indicates that Mr. Garcia was placed against the vehicle, while at another point indicates that his head apparently caused a dent in the vehicle quarter panel. Regardless, the 4^th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of U.S. residents to not have excessive force used against them. If an officer, jailer, or other person acting under color of state law uses excessive force and causes the death of a person, then liability could exist for claims brought by certain surviving family members. These claims are usually brought in federal court, in Texas, and pursuant to a federal statute. Once again, despite providing information in this post, we are not making any allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone related to Mr. Garcia’s death.

Tragedy occurred at Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle, Texas, on July 11, 2021, because Alexander Jonah McFarland, age 31, was found nonresponsive in his cell. Mr. McFarland had used a bedsheet to fashion a ligature, and he hung himself. On July 17, 2021, at a nearby hospital, Mr. McFarland died from his injuries.

Custodial death reports show that two other Travis County inmates have died after hanging themselves in 2021. All three of these deceased inmates used a bedsheet to commit suicide. The other two inmates’ dates of death were June 26 and April 30.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) requires jails to ensure that areas where potentially suicidal inmates are housed have face-to-face observations every 30 minutes or less. No more than a half-hour should pass between inmate checks. This is essential because supervision has been identified as one of the most effective deterrents to custodial suicide.

On May 24, 2021, a Jail Inspection Report for a Texas county jail shows something that, unfortunately, is not uncommon. The TCJS inspector indicates that the jail was non-compliant as far as following the minimum jail standard shown below.

§275.1 – Regular Observation by Jailers

The rule states that inmates known to be potentially suicidal, mentally ill, assaultive, or who have behaved in a bizarre manner must be observed every 30 minutes.

• The TCJS inspector’s finding was that face-to-face observations of these high-risk inmates exceeded the 30-minute time limit.

Learn more in Part 1 and Part 2 of this three-part series.

The purpose of this website’s posts is to provide helpful information for county jail prisoners in Texas. It is not intended on this site to imply that individuals or institutions have engaged in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor

A bedsheet was used by 31-year-old Alexander Jonah McFarland to hang himself at the Travis County Correctional Complex in Del Valle, Texas. He was discovered nonresponsive as a result of the suicide attempt on July 11, 2021. After being moved to a hospital, Mr. McFarland died on July 17, 2021.

The report mentioned in the first part of this series conducted studies that ended in recommendations of what counties should do to avoid preventable custodial deaths, and a few follow.

Jail Diversion

One suggestion involves “jail diversion.” Harris County, Texas, has been involved in a Mental Health Jail Diversion project. The purpose of the project is to help mentally ill individuals get services and mental health diagnoses they need without going to jail. The specific recommendation is to diligently use Sequential Intercept Mapping for the development and implementation of jail diversion strategies. This would mean counties would encourage cross-collaboration between courts, mental health providers, and law enforcement to plan, create, and grow opportunities for jail diversion.

Avoid Arrests

Whenever possible, replace warrants and arrests with citations and summons, including for arrests associated with Class C misdemeanors, which are at the lowest level.

Accommodate Pretrial Release

Plan pretrial diversion programs with the help of mental health professionals and advocates who would work to ensure that mental illness is not an obstacle to pretrial release.

Learn more in Part 1 and this ongoing series.

With the aim of helping current and previous prisoners housed in county jails in Texas, this website offers informational posts. There is never an intention on this site to imply that wrongdoing has occurred on the part of people, organizations, or governmental entities.

–Guest Contributor

Alexander Jonah McFarland, age 31, was in the custody of the Travis County Correctional Complex when he was discovered hanging in his single-occupancy cell. He had used his bedsheet as a ligature and was nonresponsive. Mr. McFarland was transferred to a hospital, where he died on July 17, 2021, which was two weeks after being booked into the Del Valle, Texas, Travis County jail.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards addresses the crucial issue of custodial suicide with preventative measures included in minimum jail standards for Texas county jails.

Deaths in Texas jails are referred to as “preventable tragedies” in a Texas government document on the topic of reducing mental health-related custodial deaths. The report includes statistics, including that 64% of Texas jail inmates are in the category of “any mental health problem.”

Many counties have had difficulty meeting the challenges associated with an increasingly mentally ill jail population. Coordination of the criminal justice system with behavioral health systems is needed along with staff training on mental health and more.

Included in this report is the death of Sandra Bland in Waller County Jail in Hempstead, Texas, on July 13, 2015–one of at least ten stories on mentally ill Texas inmates who died while incarcerated. Ms. Bland’s death garnered worldwide attention and the state has since adopted a law known as the Sandra Bland Act intended to improve care for and protection of mentally ill inmates.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

This site offers posts as potential sources of helpful information for inmates that are or have been incarcerated in a Texas county jail. There is not an intention on this website to infer wrongs on the part of people or institutions.

–Guest Contributor

The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department apparently has pending a custodial death report regarding the death of Larry David Hurt. Our Texas law firm found out about Mr. Hurt’s death as a result of the Harrison County jail, in Marshall, Texas, failing a Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”) inspection in June 2021. We posted at this website about that inspection report –

Unfortunately, the Harrison County jail had not filed a custodial death report regarding Mr. Hurt’s death within the 30 days required by Texas law. We obtained a copy of that custodial death report through a Public Information Act request, and we provide in this post some information contained in that report.

The report indicates that the date and time of the custody or incident was 1:17 p.m. on March 1, 2021, and that Mr. Hurt passed away at 5:28 p.m. on March 1, 2021. The listed manner of death indicates that autopsy results were pending.

The single offense listed for which Mr. Hurt might have been charged was Disorderly Conduct. The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“Harrison County Deputies responded to a residence in Harrison County regarding family violence/threats to a family member. Decedent was reported to be under the influence of methamphetamine. Deputies arrived at the residence and made contact with the decedent and decedent’s mother. Decedent’s mother wanted decedent to leave the residence. Decedent agreed to let deputies transport him to a motel in Marshall, Texas. While the Deputy transported Decedent to the motel, decedent became extremely paranoid, screaming for the deputy to stop. Decedent began pushing on the deputy’s patrol car cage with his legs, pushing the deputy into the steering wheel. Decedent began trying to break the rear passenger window of the patrol car. Deputy pulled over and placed the decedent into handcuffs and told decedent he was under arrest. Decedent continued to scream and push on deputy’s patrol car cage. Once at the Harrison County Jail, decedent would not exit the patrol car and had to be physically removed. Decedent had to be escorted into the jail by additional deputies as he refused to walk on his own. Decedent continued to ignore deputies while on the ground and tried to lock both of his feet underneath a clothing cabinet located within the changing room. Deputies used drive stun techniques from a Taser, pressure point control tactics to gain compliance from decedent. Deputies and jailers were finally able to secure the decedent in a restraint chair. The Decedent was removed from the inmate changing area and placed in a Detox cell located near the jail’s booking desk. The Decedent was placed in the restraint chair at 13:48. Following procedure, jail staff began conducting routine 10 minute checks to reassess the decedent’s need to remain in the restraint chair. The decedent can be heard moving around and making noises up until 16:44. Audio from the jail camera detects Decedent gasping for air, followed by silence from the cell. At 16:49 jail staff notice Decedent is not breathing. Jail staff attempt to administer lifesaving techniques to the decedent. EMS arrived at 16:57 and exited at 17:00 performing CPR on the decedent. Decedent was pronounced deceased at 17:28”.

As indicated in our prior post, it appears that the TCJS failed the Harrison County, Texas jail as a result of Mr. Hurt’s death. The TCJS inspector determined that the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments was not completed in its entirety. Further, one or more Harrison County jailers apparently did not document that Mr. Hurt either refused or was unable to complete the form. Moreover, the TCJS inspector determined, apparently with regard to Mr. Hurt, that the jail did not run a Continuity of Care Query immediately upon intake.

We had previously written, on or about January 5, 2021, about the Harrison County jail, in Marshall, Texas, failing a TCJS inspection. The TCJS inspector noted, and the inspection related to that failure, that the jail did not show that medications were being distributed to inmates in accordance with written instructions from a physician. The inspector also noted that medication for an inmate was stopped after 7 days even though the medication had been prescribed for 10 days. The inspector also noted, which could have some importance regarding Mr. Hurt’s death, that the Harrison County jail had restraint chair logs indicating that staff exceeded the required 15-minute observation by as little as one minute, and by as much up to 22 minutes on multiple occasions.

The TCJS inspector also learned during that inspection that there were no documented face-to-face observation of inmates housed on the 4^th floor of the main jail facility on the day of the inspection, and that there was no documentation of observations for roughly a 6-week period of time in late 2020. Likewise, we wrote in 2018 about another time when the Harrison County jail failed a TCJS inspection.

We make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone regarding Mr. Hurt’s death. However, the United States Constitution guarantees the right of Texas residents to not have excessive force used against them and, if incarcerated, to receive reasonable medical care and mental health care. If a person dies as a result of excessive force, denial of medical care, or denial of mental health care, and the death was as a result of Constitutional violations, then certain surviving family members might have claims to be filed in a lawsuit.

The Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, in Bonham, Texas, filed a report regarding the custodial death of Jose Molina. Mr. Molina was only 32 years old at the time of his death. We provide in this post information obtained from that report, and we make no allegation of any wrongdoing regarding Mr. Molina’s death.

The summary portion of the report reads in its entirety:

“On 07-05-2021 Sheriff Johnson was notified that a Federal inmate had passed away at the hospital for unknown reasons. Sheriff immediately called the Texas Ranger for our area and him start an investigation into the death. The narrative from the Texas Rangers is below. 1.1 On 07-05-2021 at approximately 3:39 AM, I, Texas Ranger Ken Shields was contacted telephonically by Fannin County Sheriff Mark Johnson. Sheriff Johnson advised a federal inmate from the LaSalle Corrections Jail located in Fannin County had died at the Texoma Medical Center Hospital in Denison, Texas. Sheriff Johnson requested I respond to Texoma Medical Center and conduct the Custodial Death Investigation. Sheriff Johnson requested me to contact LaSalle Corrections Warden Stacy King for details of the federal inmate. At approximately 3:45 AM, I contacted Warden King telephonically. Warden King stated that on 07-04-2021, US Marshall federal inmate Jose Molina had been discovered unresponsive in his isolation medical unit cell and was transported by an ambulance to Texoma Medical Center where later (on 07-05-2021) he was pronounced dead. Warden King stated that Molina was in Texoma Medical Center Intensive Care Unit room number 207. 1.2 I arrived at Texoma Medical Center at approximately 4:40 AM where I met with Grayson County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Rita Noel. I was informed that Jose Molina (H/M xx/xx/xxxx) LaSalle Corrections inmate number 29300078, had been pronounced deceased at 3:09 AM by attending physician Javaid Ehson. At approximately 4:50 AM, I entered room 207, LaSalle Corrections Officers Kenneth Abbott and Dustin Watson were inside the room with Molina. I observed that the corrections officers had been keeping an entry log of activity starting at approximately 10:30 PM (on 07-04-2021). I made an initial observation of Molina and did not observe any markings on his body except those that appeared to me to be from medical intervention. CDR Reports :: Page 3 of 3 1.3 I contacted Warden King telephonically at approximately 5:26 AM, Warden King stated that she had notified the United States Marshall Eastern District James Nicholas in regards of Molina’s custodial death. 1.4 I contacted LaSalle Corrections Lieutenant Terry Wright telephonically at approximately, 5:29 AM, Lieutenant Wright informed me that Molina was booked into the LaSalle Corrections Facility in Fannin County on 03-04-2020. Molina had been transferred to the medical unit and had been housed in an isolation medical cell since 06-27-2021. Molina had been receiving medical treatment for migraines. On 07-04-2021 at approximately 5:42 PM, a Bonham Fire and EMS ambulance had been dispatched for Molina. Molina had been discovered by LaSalle Corrections Officer Samantha Asbill in his cell unresponsive leaning over the sink and that Molina had defecated himself. Corrections Officer Asbill and LaSalle Corrections Registered Nurse Alisa Melton attempted medical treatment until the ambulance arrived at 5:45 PM. The ambulance left from LaSalle Corrections Facility at approximately 6:07 PM and transported Molina to the Texoma Medical Center in Denison. 1.5 On 07-05-2021 at approximately 4:56 AM, Judge Noel ordered an autopsy to be conducted on Molina by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science (SWIFS) located in Dallas County. Molina was released from Texoma Medical Center to Hunter Stiles of Fisher Funeral Home for transport to SWIFS. Fisher Funeral Home departed from Texoma Medical Center at approximately 6:25 AM. 1.6 At approximately 8:20 AM, I traveled to the LaSalle Corrections Facility and met with Warden King. I requested the following items to be prepared for me to receive at a later date: A. A copy of video surveillance of Molina’s cell from 06-27-2021 to 07-04-2021 B. A copy of recording of any incoming or outgoing jail phone calls C. A copy of Molina’s medical records D. A copy of logs of status round checks conducted by LaSalle Correction Officers 1.7 At approximately 8:28 AM, I photographed the exterior and interior of Molina’s cell, located in the medical unit marked “M2” and “227”. All photographs were stored on an external hard drive S1.P1.”

The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of pre-trial detainees, held in Texas county jails by county officials, and/or independent contractors, to receive reasonable medical care. If a person does not receive reasonable medical care and passes away as a result, then certain surviving family members may have a claim to be asserted in a lawsuit. Once again, however, we make no allegation of any wrongdoing against anyone related to Mr. Molina’s death. We are simply providing information we obtained from the custodial death report, and in additional basic legal information regarding custodial death claims.

Veronica Carmona Peranez had engaged in self-harm after police took her into custody the evening of June 17, 2021. Jailers at Brownsville City Jail in Brownsville, Texas, placed Ms. Peranez in a padded cell. Approximately 4 hours later, she was found unresponsive, and her death was pronounced at about 10:17 pm.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) provides the rules of operation that govern Texas county jails and required procedures for supervision of all inmates are included in minimum jail standards. In an effort to prevent inmates from suffering harm when placed in restraints, there are strict guidelines for ensuring the prisoners’ safety.

Restraint Chairs

Restraint chairs are among the types of restraints that have been approved by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Specifics on the use of restraint chairs are detailed in the section of the Texas Administrative Code for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

The following are among the criteria governing the use of the restraint chair:

• Only individuals who have been trained on the proper use of the restraint chair are authorized to place a resident in the restraint chair and supervise him or her.
• Every 10 minutes, a detention officer or juvenile probation officer must check the circulation of the juvenile.
• As soon as the inmate is no longer a threat to self or others, he or she must be released.
• Removal of an inmate from a restraint chair must be considered every 10 minutes.
• One hour is the maximum confinement for a juvenile in a detention center unless an authorized individual authorizes a longer period of time.
• Within a 24-hour period, 5 hours is the maximum amount of time that a resident can be restrained in a restraint chair.

See Part 1 and this ongoing series.

This website’s posts are intended as aids to inmates now or formerly incarcerated in a county jail in Texas. It is never intended to imply that persons or entities have been involved in wrongdoing.

–Guest Contributor

After resisting arrest and banging her head on the police car partition at least two times, 32-year-old Veronica Carmona Peranez was placed in a single padded cell inside Brownsville City Jail in Brownsville, Texas, at about 6:13 pm on June 17, 2021. At 10:02 that night, Mrs. Peranez was discovered unresponsive in the padded cell and pronounced dead 15 minutes later.

Texas county jails are governed by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS), and cell checks for at-risk prisoners must occur at least every 30 minutes. These prisoners are either mentally ill, potentially suicidal, or exhibiting bizarre behavior. The requirement to appropriately care for prisoners is also evident when inmates have been placed in restraints. TCJS allows for various types of restraints to be used to prevent inmates from harming themselves or others. However, potential health risks associated with using restraints are recognized. To address such potential health threats, the following are TCJS guidelines.

RULE §273.6 – Restraints

TCJS specifies that restraints, when necessary, must be used in a humane manner. Restraints are not to be used as a punitive measure. More guidelines follow:

• The medical condition of an inmate should be assessed before he or she is placed in a restraint system.
• Restriction of an inmate’s movement should be limited to the degree necessary to stop injurious behavior.
• Whenever viable, use cushioned or soft restraints on inmates
• If a prisoner has any physical infirmities, they must not be restrained in a way or position that worsens those conditions.

Learn more in this ongoing series.

The posts on this website are offered as potentially helpful sources of information for Texas county jail inmates, whether current or former prisoners. There is no intention to imply on this site that persons or institutions have been involved in misdeeds.

–Guest Contributor