A 51-year-old man in Tarrant County Jail custody died Monday at a local hospital after telling jail staff he felt unwell, according to the sheriff's office. It's the eighth person to die in Tarrant County Jail custody this year.
The medical examiner had not released the man's name or cause of death as of Tuesday morning.
According to the sheriff's office, the man was examined by jail medical personnel before an ambulance was dispatched to take him to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.
The man became unresponsive and life-saving measures were taken, according to a press release. Although he was resuscitated, he died at JPS Monday afternoon while being treated by hospital staff.
More than 65 people have died in Tarrant County Jail custody since Sheriff Bill Waybourn first took office in 2017. Community members, activists, and at least one county commissioner have called for Waybourn's resignation but the sheriff has refused to step down from his role. He was reelected last month with 54% of the vote while his Democratic challenger, Patrick Moses, got 46%.
The calls for his resignation were ignited following the in-custody death of Anthony Johnson Jr. in April. At least one detention officer and supervisor have been indicted for murder in connection with Johnson's death. Both were fired for a second time in July after they were reinstated following their initial firing.
The dentition officer and supervisor are among 15 jailers listed in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Johnson's family.
Waybourn previously declined to brief county commissioners on the jail's operating procedures following a report by KERA that the jail's restraint policies had not been updated in more than 15 years. An investigation by KERA and the Fort Worth Report found that the sheriff's office had drafted revised policies in 2021 but never implemented them.
Waybourn has since asked for a comprehensive third-party policy review and body cameras for jailers.
On the campaign trail, Waybourn argued he should get another term because of projects he had initiated that are still under way, including the construction of a new sheriff’s training academy and the work of his human trafficking unit.
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