Inmate Manuel Perez, 33, Died After Medical Emergency At Bexar County Jail In San Antonio
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (October 9, 2023) - A 33-year-old inmate identified as Manuel Perez has tragically died after some type of medical episode at the Bexar County Jail in San Antonio.
Bexar County officials are saying that the incident began on Friday morning. Correctional officers noticed that Manuel Perez was unresponsive in his jail cell.
Jail and medical staff entered the cell in order to help the inmate. Paramedics were called to the scene and took over medical care.
Despite life-saving measures, Manuel Perez was pronounced dead around 12:00 p.m. that same day. Bexar County officials claim that they believe he died due to “natural” causes.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office is working to determine the exact cause of death. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Bexar County Jail Inmate Deaths
Far too many inmates die in custody every year in the United States. According to the UCLA Behind Bars Data Project, “In 2020, at least 6,182 people died in U.S. prisons. This is a 46% increase in the lives lost behind bars from 2019, despite a 10% decrease in the overall prison population. The U.S. has seen a significant, continual increase in deaths in prisons over the past two decades, but never before have the country’s prisons seen such a steep increase year-to-year.” There are many different reasons that an inmate may die in-custody.
- Inmates have died due to drug overdoses.
- Inmates have died due to drug or alcohol withdrawal.
- Inmates have died due to homicide by other inmates.
- Inmates have died after not getting proper healthcare.
Every inmate has a constitutional right to receive reasonably adequate medical care. This includes care for chronic and acute health conditions. Ideally, jails should be proactive in keeping inmates healthy instead of always responding to emergencies that pop up. If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate who died, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. Many steps should be taken after any in-custody death.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- The health records of the inmate that died should be examined.
- Eyewitnesses should be interviewed.
- The actions of jail staff prior to the death should be understood.
Jails are supposed to uphold constitutional standards for inmate care. But this does not always happen. In many situations, jails outsource healthcare to private corporations that are more concerned with making money than providing necessary care. The family of any inmate that died in-custody may be able to seek some measure of justice through a constitutional claim. A civil rights attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Inmate Deaths At The Bexar County Jail
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Manuel Perez. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of the inmate’s family. Every inmate is entitled to adequate care and protection regardless of what they may be accused of.
Do you need more information about an inmate death at the Bexar County Jail? Our team of civil rights advocates are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that inmates and their families are aware of their constitutional rights. 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.