Joseph Oguntodu
Joseph Oguntodu, 35, died on March 7, 2019, while held at the James V. Allred Unit, a Texas prison in Iowa Park. Staff found him unresponsive on his bunk during a security check, with injuries consistent with a physical altercation, and a Justice of the Peace pronounced him dead that evening. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice custodial death report lists the cause as hanging and strangulation by other people held at the unit, and autopsy results were pending when it was published. A family lawsuit says Joseph asked a guard for a cell transfer because his cellmate had threatened to kill him, and that the guard refused; the guard disputes this in a deposition. A TDCJ investigation found that guards on duty that day skipped required security checks.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). TDCJ's custodial death report says other detainees killed him by hanging and strangulation, and his family's lawsuit says he asked a guard for a cell transfer because his cellmate had threatened to kill him, which the guard disputed in a deposition, while a TDCJ investigation found that guards on duty skipped required security checks.
Reported by: Texas Department of Criminal Justice custodial death report (the agency that held him); his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); his cellmate, in a statement to a guard (witnesses).
Lawsuit: His family sued in federal court over his death, alleging that he asked a guard for a cell transfer because his cellmate had threatened to kill him and the guard refused; no settlement or award amount is reported.