Inmate Anthony Conover (Full Name: Anthony Mark Conover) Died Following Medical Emergency At Temple Jail
BELL COUNTY, TEXAS (January 11, 2024) - An inmate identified as Anthony Conover has tragically died after a medical emergency at a Temple jail.
Bell County officials are saying that the incident began on December 30. Jail staff noticed that Anthony Conover was unresponsive.
American Medical Response arrived at the scene in order to help the man. He was taken to the ICU in order to receive treatment for respiratory failure and sepsis.
Despite life-saving measures, Anthony Conover was pronounced dead on January 4. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Temple Inmate Deaths
Thousands of inmates die in-custody every year in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “A total of 4,234 persons died in state and federal prisons in 2019, a 6.6% decrease from the 4,515 deaths in 2018 reported to the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ (BJS) Mortality in Correctional Institutions (MCI, formerly the Deaths in Custody Reporting Program) data collection.” Jails should take a number of measures in order to prevent inmate deaths.
- Jails should make sure that all inmates have a thorough health screening before they are admitted.
- Jails should conduct routine wellness checks on all of the inmates in their care.
- Jails staff should have emergency plans for when any inmate goes into medical distress.
Depending on the facts of any case, a jail or private healthcare provider could be liable for the death of any inmate. When the state assumes control of a person’s autonomy through incarceration, certain constitutional standards will apply. Failing to give an inmate adequate healthcare is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. There are a number of ways that a jail may have failed to properly care for any inmate.
- Jail officials may have failed to give an inmate the medication that they needed.
- Jail officials may have failed to give an inmate adequate mental healthcare.
- Jail officials may have delayed getting an inmate to the hospital.
When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. Sadly, though, jail officials will often do everything in their power to deny responsibility if an inmate in their care dies. Jails are often quick to label inmate deaths as “natural,” but this designation can often be highly misleading. Many supposedly natural deaths involve some amount of medical neglect. The family of any person that died in a county jail may have recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating Temple Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Anthony Conover. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. The sheer number of deaths across Texas jails remains deeply concerning.
Do you need more information about a Bell County inmate death? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here for you. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that jails are upholding constitutional standards. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we may be able to help you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.