Alton Rogers
Alton R. Rogers died on January 19, 2016 while held in Texas state prison custody, according to a report filed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. His mother, Gwendolyn Patrick, said she tried to get him medical care in the months before he died, and she and their attorney, Jesse Quackenbush, say he lost a large amount of weight over about a year and was denied treatment for tuberculosis. Prison records at the William P. Clements Unit, as reported by ABC7, state that injuries from a fight with his cellmate caused his death, and the attorney disputes this, calling it a cover-up. A civil lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is pending.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). TDCJ records and guards say he died of injuries from a fight with his cellmate, but his attorney Jesse Quackenbush and mother Gwendolyn Patrick dispute this, alleging starvation and denied tuberculosis treatment, and a civil lawsuit is pending.
Reported by: Texas Department of Criminal Justice (the agency that held him); guards at the William P. Clements Unit (the agency that held him); attorney Jesse Quackenbush (family or their lawyers); Gwendolyn Patrick (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His mother, Gwendolyn Patrick, and their attorney have a civil lawsuit pending against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice over his death at the William P. Clements Unit, with no settlement or award reported.