Inmate (Full Name: Anthony Keith Skibell) Died Following Medical Emergency at Hospital Galveston
GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS (January 14, 2024) - A 59-year-old inmate identified as Anthony Skibell has tragically died following some type of medical emergency at Hospital Galveston.
TDCJ officials are saying that the incident took place on January 2. Jail staff noticed that Anthony Skibell was in medical distress.
Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the inmate. He was taken to OakBend Hospital before being transported to Hospital Galveston.
Despite life-saving measures, Anthony Skibell was pronounced dead around 9:00 p.m. on January 2. A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For TDCJ Inmate Deaths
Texas has one of the highest instances of inmate deaths in the United States. According to Statista, “In 2020, 329 deaths were reported in Texas prisons due to natural causes, illnesses, and "other" reasons in the United States, compared to just 178 reported prison deaths in 2019. This increase was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” An inmate death may take place for many different reasons.
- Inmates may go through a drug overdose.
- Inmates may succumb to a pulmonary illness.
- Inmates may be attacked by other inmates.
- Inmates may die due to the excessive force of jail staff.
All inmates have rights protected under the constitution. This includes the right to live free from cruel and unusual forms of punishment. The Supreme Court held in Estelle v. Gamble that failing to give inmates adequate medical care is a form of cruel and unusual punishment and therefore prohibited. A jail may have failed to properly care for an inmate in a number of ways.
- Jail officials may have failed to perform routine wellness checks.
- Jail officials may have failed to follow the advice of nurses and doctors.
- Jail officials may have failed to get an inmate to the hospital in a timely manner.
- Jail officials may have failed to treat an inmate with pre-existing medical conditions.
When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. Not every denial of care will rise to the level of a constitutional violation. After any inmate death it is important to seek the advice of a skilled civil rights attorney. An attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case free of cost and let you know if an inmate death was due to medical neglect.
Investigating TDCJ Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Anthony Skibell. It is our sincere hope that jail officials take concrete measures to prevent other tragedies like this. Many questions regarding what happen still remain unanswered.
Do you need more information about a TDCJ inmate death? Our team of civil rights advocates are here to help. We are committed to getting victims of jail neglect the support and justice that they deserve. 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.