Steve's Soapbox

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Brownwood Jail Deaths

Thursday April 28, 2005
Op Ed: Letters To The Editor
Substance abusers are people, too
Dear Editor:
Thanks to Steve Nash for finally giving comprehensive coverage to the recent jail death in Brownwood. The story was barely mentioned on KTXS-TV and poorly covered in the Abilene Reporter-News. Those stories left more questions than answers.
On the face of it, if we assume that everyone is telling the truth, there was no apparent misconduct by Brown County officials. However, it is difficult to assume, in today's climate, that everyone is telling the truth. I have difficulty, for example, understanding how a handcuffed detainee, in the screened back portion of a patrol car, can continue to be "combative." What would such a person be fighting with, the window?
At any rate, I'd also like to thank your writer for the mention of the other deaths that occurred at the jail. It is interesting to me that all three deaths were connected with the charge of public intoxication.
It would seem to me that it would be a good idea for Brown County law enforcement officials to revise their policies on medical evaluation and treatment of prisoners. While persons who abuse substances are obviously not usually wonderful citizens in their addictions, they do have lives, and often hurt no one but themselves. Society considers them a nuisance, as they often well may be, but sometimes, if they survive, they do get better. And, last time I checked, public intoxication was not a capital crime.
Tom McDaniel
Clyde
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/28/op_ed/letters_to_the_editor/letter01.txt
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