There is a special cruelty that comes with denying an inmate’s basic care. In fact, the Eighth Amendment states that no inmate should suffer cruel and unusual punishment.
Since Sheriff Bill Waybourn took office in 2017, however, over 70 inmates have died in Tarrant County Jail. The causes have ranged from negligence of medical needs to asphyxiation, according to a KERA news report.
There’s a difference between inmate deaths in hospice and deaths inside jail walls. Waybourn maintains hospice death is the more frequent event and not the fault of the jail when they receive inmates with pre existing conditions. What do you call Javonte Meyers, who after a seizure took his life in his cell and laid there for hours undiscovered?
That incident resulted in a lawsuit against two correctional officers of $250k and probation of five years who tampered with government records on routine cell checks to cover up the negligence.
These examples aren’t instances of hearsay or accusations. The fact of the matter is they happened with few legal repercussions and keep happening.
Accountability is severely lacking when 70 people have died in an eight-year period. There isn’t an excuse that could make up for the same mistake over and over again. It takes one serious criminal offense for someone to be admitted to a prison, and Waybourn can write off multiple “isolated incidents” because of human error.
Since Waybourn was reelected for four more years in 2024, we urge him to spend what time is left to correct the institutional issues he has been overseeing.
That starts with respecting the Sandra Bland Act that Gov. Greg Abbott signed into effect in 2017, which demands law enforcement agencies investigate jail deaths.
How are we supposed to trust law enforcement that ensures our safety in Tarrant County if they can’t even ensure a fair and proper process of investigation? In January, it came out that former inmate Mason Yancy’s death was never properly investigated, and autopsy results were not released.
Waybourn’s reelection campaign statement does not reflect the hope of a better future for the Tarrant County community he serves.
“I look forward to working with our community to create a warm hand-off for inmates as they transition back into society and working to remind the community of Tarrant County that all law enforcement is here to serve, help and protect the community,” he stated on his campaign website.
Open communication for law enforcement does not mean denying briefings on jail deaths requested by Commissioner Alisa Simmons. That is not the situation our community deserves. Silence is just as much an answer as the truth –– the only difference is you earn respect when you choose the option with the most dignity.
There is an actual opportunity for Waybourn to release answers that grieving families who have lost their loved ones in the Tarrant County Jail have been desperate to know. It would begin to bridge an absurd gap between the county and the jail.
We acknowledge the huge dedication and work it takes to run a jail, and the goal is not to accuse evil inside the walls of a facility that handles a variety of serious issues on a daily basis. There is still a responsibility to ensure that the law and safety is the first priority.
You don’t heal wounds by covering them up and ignoring the injury.
