Michael Martinez
Michael Martinez, 25, died on November 1, 2015, while held at the Jack Harwell Detention Center in Waco, Texas, a jail run by LaSalle Correctional. His parents, Salvador and Gloria Martinez, sued the operator and three officers in federal court, saying he was found hanging from a bed sheet in his cell and that no staff had face-to-face contact with him for about three and a half hours beforehand. Jail officials said he died by suicide. Sheriff's investigation records found that no one checked on him for three hours, although jailers were required to check every 30 minutes, and three guards were charged with tampering with governmental documents. The defendants deny negligence and say his own actions caused his death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Jail officials said he died by suicide, and the family's federal wrongful death lawsuit says he was found hanging in his cell after staff had no face-to-face contact with him for about three and a half hours; the defendants deny negligence and say his own actions caused his death.
Reported by: Jack Harwell Detention Center jail officials (the agency that held him); McLennan County Sheriff's investigation records (the agency that held him); Texas Office of the Attorney General custodial death report; family's attorney Jeff Edwards, in a federal wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His parents, Salvador and Gloria Martinez, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the operator of the Jack Harwell Detention Center and three officers over his death, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.