PRINCIPAL OFFICE: DALLAS, TEXAS: (214) 670-9989 | TOLL FREE: (866) 670-9989

Michael Robert Kozletsky Commits Suicide in the Menard, Texas County Jail

iStock 969048466
Interior of solitary confinement cell with metal bed, desk and toilet in old prison.

The Menard County Sheriff’s Department, in Menard, Texas, filed a custodial death report regarding the death of Michael Robert Kozletsky.  Mr. Kozletsky was only 42 years old at the time of his death.  We provide information obtained from that report, and we do not allege in this post any wrongdoing related to Mr. Kozeltsky’s death.

Mr. Kozletsky was originally incarcerated on May 14, 2020 in the Menard County jail.  He was arrested by a DPS trooper as a result of a crash investigation.  He was then transported to a local hospital for a blood draw and checked for injuries.  He allegedly refused medical treatment and was then transported to the Menard County jail. 

Mr. Kozletsky was dressed out in jail clothing and started the booking process.  After a phone call, he became agitated.  The booking process ceased, and given Mr. Kozletsky’s earlier behavior, he was placed in a cell under a 30-minute watch. 

On May 15, 2020, the jailer on duty conducted checks and found that Mr. Kozletzky had committed suicide by hanging himself with jail clothing “between checks while jailer was dealing with another inmate.”  Mr. Kozletsky was transported by EMS and pronounced deceased at a San Angelo hospital on May 16, 2020.

As a general matter, people who are suicidal in Texas county jails should not be dressed in standard-issued jail clothing.  It is well known in the corrections community that suicidal people will use items in a cell to attempt to commit suicide by hanging.  Telephone cords, jail-issued clothing and bedding, shoe laces, and drawstrings are common items used by people to commit suicide.

The custodial death report regarding Mr. Kozletsky, in response to the question whether he made suicidal statements, reads, “Yes.”  If jailers were deliberately indifferent to and/or acted in an unreasonable way regarding Mr. Kozletsy’s suicidal tendencies, then those jailers could be liable to certain surviving family members.

Moreover, a 30-minute watch policy, practice, or custom is completely insufficient to assure that a person does not commit suicide.  It takes less than 10 minutes to commit suicide through asphyxiation.  Merely checking on an inmate every 30 minutes will not prevent that inmate from committed suicide.  It is a very simple equation.  If a person can kill himself or herself in less than 10 minutes, then 30-minute checks will not keep that person alive if the person intends to commit suicide.

author avatar
Dean Malone Lead Trial Lawyer - Jail Neglect
Education: Baylor University School of Law

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.

Wake County Prisoner Dies

Courthouse 2

Unfortunately, the Wake County Detention prisoner who attempted to commit suicide this week has passed away.  April Elaine Peed Cumbo, 42 years of age, passed away on Tuesday.  Ms. Cumbo had been arrested on March 9, 2018.  It is uncertain at this point as to whether jailers knew of any propensity by Ms. Cumbo to harm herself.  The Wake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.

author avatar
Dean Malone Lead Trial Lawyer - Jail Neglect
Education: Baylor University School of Law

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.

Montgomery County Jail Inmate Commits Suicide

Courthouse 1

An inmate in the Montgomery County, Texas Jail committed suicide by hanging on or about September 9, 2017.  He was allegedly convicted of a crime and sentenced on or about August 24, 2017.  Allegedly, the man was discovered by a detention officer while making rounds – 25 minutes into a 30-minute round.

We make no allegation in this post that anyone acted inappropriately regarding the inmate’s death.  However, suicide in county jails continues to be a significant problem in Texas.  A Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judge wrote many years ago that, when an inmate is suicidal and/or expresses an intent to harm himself or herself, periodic viewings are insufficient.  That judge wrote that jails must continually observe such inmates.  Moreover, suicidal inmates should not be left with items in their cell with which they can harm themselves.

author avatar
Dean Malone Lead Trial Lawyer - Jail Neglect
Education: Baylor University School of Law

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.