Inmate Larry Rudd Jr Died Following Medical Emergency While Staying At Texas Department of Criminal Justice Leblanc Unit In Beaumont
JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS (December 24, 2023) - A 68-year-old inmate identified as Larry Rudd Jr has tragically died while staying at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Leblanc Unit in Beaumont.
Jefferson County officials are saying that the incident began on November 27. Larry Rudd Jr was transported to the hospital due to his medical condition.
He remained at the hospital for several days and his condition continued to decline. Sadly. Larry Rudd Jr was pronounced dead by medical staff on December 1.
A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Beaumont Inmate Deaths
Jails can be terrible places to live even in the best of circumstances. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “In 2019, a total of 3,853 prisoners died in state prisons or private prison facilities under a state contract, a decrease of 284 deaths from 2018. The number of federal prisoners who died in the custody of a facility operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) increased from 378 in 2018 to 381 in 2019.” Jails should take a number of measures to prevent inmate deaths.
- Jail staff should be well trained on conflict resolution, crisis intervention and recognizing the signs of mental health issues.
- Jails should ensure that inmates have a proper health screening when they are first admitted.
- Jails should develop and enforce comprehensive policies related to the use-of-force.
- Jails should establish effective communication channels to address medical emergencies.
All jails have a legal obligation to address the health needs of the inmate that they are charged with caring for. In general, inmates with chronic medical conditions will typically need more extensive care. When a jail fails to address the serious medical 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.
- The actions of correctional officers before an inmate was hospitalized should be understood.
- Surveillance footage related to the incident should be sought.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- An independent autopsy may need to be performed.
It can be hard to know where to begin after any inmate dies in custody. To make matters worse, jails are rarely transparent about what took place. In many situations, in-custody deaths involve some amount of medical neglect. 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 and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Beaumont Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Larry Rudd Jr. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. It is our sincere hope that greater oversight of this jail will lead to lasting reform that can help prevent other tragedies.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed while staying at a Jefferson County jail? Our team of Jefferson County civil rights attorneys are here to help you in any way that we can. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that jails are held accountable for their unconstitutional actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any in-custody death we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.