Inmate Elzie Jimmerson, 60, Died Following Medical Emergency At Galveston Jail
GALVESTON COUNTY, TEXAS (November 26, 2023) - A 60-year-old inmate identified as Elzie Jimmerson has tragically died following a medical emergency at a Galveston jail.
Galveston County officials are saying that the incident began on November 17. Elzie Jimmerson was taken to the hospital due to his medical condition.
He was at the hospital for two days and his health took a turn for the worst. Sadly, on November 19 Elzie Jimmerson was pronounced dead by medical staff.
His cause of death in the in-custody death report was listed as “Cardiopulmonary Arrest.” A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Galveston Inmate Deaths
Inmates often enter the prison system with a variety of medical problems including heart issues. 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 steps that jails should take to keep inmates with heart issues safe.
- All inmates should get a thorough health screening when they are first admitted.
- Medical staff should be well-trained to understand when an inmate may be going through a cardiac event.
- Jails should develop and practice emergency response plants.
- Jails should establish proper protocols for the administration of medication.
When the state assumes control of a person through incarceration, certain constitutional standards will apply. Among other things, every inmate has a legal right to receive adequate care for their medical conditions. The level of care that each inmate should get will depend on their unique health profile. If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. There are many steps that should be taken after any in-custody death.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- An independent autopsy may need to be performed.
- A civil rights attorney should be contacted.
It can be hard to know what to do after losing someone in jail. To make matters worse, jails are rarely transparent about what took place. They are often quick to blame the pre-existing conditions that inmates have. But having a pre-existing condition does not guarantee that someone will die. Many jail deaths are brought on by medical neglect. The family of any person that died in-custody may have legal recourse through a constitutional claim.
Investigating Galveston Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Elzie Jimmerson. 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.
Do you need more information about a Galveston County inmate death? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. 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.