Inmate Rosali Bonilla Died In Custody at Texas Department of Criminal Justice Bill Clements In Amarillo
POTTER COUNTY, JAIL (November 13, 2023) - A 56-year-old inmate identified as Rosali Bonilla has tragically died following a medical emergency at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Bill Clements Unit in Amarillo.
Potter County officials are saying that the incident took place in November, 2023. Rosali Bonilla was under “soft restraints” according to jail officials.
At some point during the time he was being restrained, he underwent some type of medical emergency. Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the inmate.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, Rosali Bonilla was pronounced dead. His cause of death in the report issued by the attorney general was due to aortic mitral valve stenosis regorge.
Liability For Amarillo Inmate Deaths
A large portion of inmate deaths involve cardiac events. According to the Journal of American Cardiology, “Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among individuals incarcerated, and those recently released have a higher risk of being hospitalized and dying of cardiovascular disease compared with the general population, even after accounting for differences in racial identity and socioeconomic status.” There are many signs that an inmate may be suffering from a cardiac related illness.
- Inmates may complain about chest pain or discomfort.
- Inmates may have shortness of breath.
- Inmates may have unexplained fatigue.
- Inmates may vomit prior to a heart attack or other cardiac event.
The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits jails from utilizing cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court has long held that denying inmates care for their medical conditions is cruel and unusual and is therefore prohibited. The level of care that an inmate should receive will depend on their health profile. If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious health needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any inmate death.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records related to the death should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- The actions of correctional officers before an inmate death should be understood.
Jails are supposed to be proactive about keeping inmates healthy, but in far too many circumstances this does not take place. Jails can be truly awful. It is very common for jail conditions to worsen the pre-existing medical conditions that inmates already have. The family of any person that died in-custody may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A civil rights attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know if a death was caused by medical neglect.
Investigating Amarillo Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Rosali Bonilla. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There are so many questions that still need to be answered. It is our sincere hope that jail officials will take concrete measures to prevent other tragedies like this.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed by the neglect of Potter County Jail officials? There are laws designed to help you. Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping inmates understand their rights and holding jails accountable for their neglect. 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.