Inmate John Anderson (Full Name: John Edward Anderson) Died Following Medical Emergency At Longview Jail
GREGG COUNTY, TEXAS (December 18, 2023) - A 64-year-old inmate identified as John Anderson has tragically died following a medical emergency at a Longview jail.
Gregg County officials are saying that the incident began around 1:20 p.m. on December 12. Correctional officers noticed that John Anderson did not respond when he was summoned.
They entered his cell and noticed that he was unresponsive. Medical staff entered the cell and began life-saving measures, which included CPR and the use of an AED machine.
John Anderson was taken to the hospital in order to receive care. However, he was later pronounce dead. Officials suspect that he may have died due to cardiac arrest.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Longview Inmate Deaths
Heart attacks and other heart related events are one of the leading causes of inmate death in the United States. According to The Commercial Appeal, “Jail inmates are significantly more likely to have heart-related problems than the general U.S. population, according to data from the National Inmate Survey and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (10.4% of the jail population compared to 2.9% of the general population).” There are a number of measures that jails should take to prevent inmate deaths.
- All inmates should get a thorough health screening when they are first admitted.
- All jail staff should be trained to recognize the signs an inmate is going through a medical emergency.
- Jail staff should be trained in CPR and first aid.
When the state assumes control of a person’s autonomy through incarceration, certain constitutional standards will apply. Every inmate has a legal right to get reasonably adequate medical care for their needs. Inmates with pre-existing health conditions will typically need more extensive care. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. A jail could have contributed to an inmate death in a number of ways.
- Jail officials may have failed to give an inmate in their care medical attention.
- Jail officials may not have given an inmate the medication that they needed.
- Jail officials may not have helped an inmate going through drug or alcohol withdrawal.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any person dies in-custody. To make matters worse, jails are rarely transparent about how any death took place. It is important that inmates and their families understand that they have rights under the constitution. The family of any person that died in-custody may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A civil rights attorney can examine the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Longview Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of John Anderson. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed at a Gregg County jail? You do have legal protections. Our team of civil rights advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that jails are upholding constitutional standards. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.