Dean Stewart
Dean Stewart, 50, died by suicide at the Tarrant County Jail in Texas on April 26, 2020, weeks after his arrest. His brother described him as smart and as having worked for years in accounting, and his father said he was happy and calm at their last visit about a month before his death. The medical examiner listed the cause as hanging, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that a Texas Commission on Jail Standards investigation found jailers were late on three observation checks in the 24 hours before his death, leaving him alone for nearly an hour at one point. His family says they warned jail staff that he was paranoid and needed close watch and medication, and their lawsuit says he was not placed on suicide watch; the county has agreed to pay his mother $400,000 to settle her lawsuit.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The medical examiner ruled it a suicide by hanging, but his family's lawsuit says they warned jail staff he was paranoid and needed close watch and medication, and that he was not placed on suicide watch; a Texas Commission on Jail Standards investigation found jailers missed required observation checks in the 24 hours before his death.
Reported by: Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office (medical examiner or coroner); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); Texas Commission on Jail Standards (outside investigators); Fort Worth Star-Telegram (reporters).
Lawsuit: His family sued Tarrant County and the county agreed to pay his mother $400,000 to settle the 2021 lawsuit.
News reports (6)
- Man who died by suicide at Tarrant County Jail needed mental health care, family says - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Tarrant County jailers were late on 3 checks in 24 hours before inmate died by suicide - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Custodial death report 20-521-CJ
- ‘Blood on the walls’: Fort Worth church group calls for investigation of Tarrant jail - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Family of man who died by suicide in Tarrant jail gets $400K in wrongful death lawsuit - Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- Family of infant who died after Tarrant County Jail birth gets 'record setting' settlement