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Texas Disguising Deaths in Custody
by Diana Claitor
In 2012, a 53-year-old Black woman named Edwinta Deckard was arrested on a misdemeanor theft charge and held in the Nacogdoches County Jail where she died after three days. Her death was an ordeal of dehydration and trauma, as repeated bouts of diarrhea were ignored …
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More from this issue:
- Debit Card Issuers Still Prey on People Released from Prisons and Jails: HRDC Lawsuits Challenge Companies in Court, by Andrew Stewart
- Arkansas Governor Hutchinson Grants Commutation for Blind Mother, by Kevin Bliss
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- $6 Million Payout in Montana Wrongful Conviction Case, by Derek Gilna
- NBA Owner Capitalizes on Mass Incarceration; Players Silent, by Matthew Clarke
- University of Florida Still Using Prison Labor, But End in Sight, by Kevin Bliss
- Texas Disguising Deaths in Custody, by Diana Claitor
- Administrator of “Whitey” Bulger’s Estate Sues BOP Over His Murder, by Derek Gilna
- North Carolina Case Involving Death of Black Prisoner: “I Can’t Breathe,” Revisited, by Edward Lyon
- New Jersey Releases 2,258 Prisoners to Combat COVID-19 Spread, by David Reutter
- Cost of Communicating with Prisoners Breaking Family Budgets During Pandemic, by David Reutter
- Pennsylvania Prisoner Off Death Row After 33 Years, by David Reutter
- Innovative Vermont Prison Superintendent’s Demotion for Sexist Language Proves Controversial, by Jayson Hawkins
- Another Prisoner’s Needless Death, Another Lawsuit at LaSalle-Run Texarkana Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Federal Judge Approves $25 Million Class Action Settlement Against Global Tel*Link, by Derek Gilna
- The Latest on COVID-19: Will Vaccines be Available Soon?, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- Former Prisoners Testify on Abuse at Notorious New Jersey Women’s Prison, by Kevin Bliss
- Fifth Circuit Order Denies Texas Prisoners Hand Sanitizer and Cleaning Supplies, by Derek Gilna
- California Passes Bill Allowing ICE Detainees to Sue Private Contractors, by Kevin Bliss
- The Role of Prosecutors in Mass Incarceration, by Jayson Hawkins
- COVID-19 Deaths in Jails, Prisons Exceed Number of Deaths by Execution From 1990 to Present, by Derek Gilna
- Missouri Executes Prisoner During COVID-19 Crisis, by Edward Lyon
- $5.9 Million Settlement in Death of Transgender Prisoner at New York’s Rikers Island, by Matthew Clarke
- For Some Faiths in Los Angeles County Jails, Volunteer Chaplains Are in Short Supply, by Douglas Ankney
- Connecticut Prisoner Commits Suicide With COVID-19 Protective Mask, by Kevin Bliss
- Prisoners Exonerated in Michigan After Police Misconduct Revealed, by Edward Lyon
- Woman Sues Mississippi Parole Board for Discrimination and Retaliation, by Anthony Accurso
- Maine Jail Gets a Pass for Using Pepper Spray on Mentally Ill Prisoners, by Kevin Bliss, Daniel A. Rosen
- Privatized Food Service Problems at Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County Jail, by Jayson Hawkins
- $177,500 Settlement in Lawsuit Over Five Louisiana Prisoners Pepper-Sprayed While Handcuffed, by Matthew Clarke
- California Appellate Court Orders 50% Reduction in San Quentin Population Over Fears of COVID-19 Spread, by David Reutter
- COVID-19 Lockdowns in Prisons Affecting Post-Secondary Education, by Kevin Bliss
- Indiana Prisoner Has First Amendment Retaliation Claims Rejected by Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, by Casey Bastian
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- $11 Million Settlement in Illinois for Three Men Freed From Prison in Wrongful Convictions, by Anthony Accurso
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- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Texas Jail Suicide Lawsuit, by Matthew Clarke
- Seventh Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Illinois Prisoner’s Lawsuit Alleging Dental Care Negligence, by David Reutter
- Former Transgender Prisoner Fights for LGBTQ Rights in Massachusetts Prisons, by Kevin Bliss
- Third Circuit Reinstates Claims by Immigration Detainee in GEO-Operated Prison Seeking to Marry U.S. Citizen, by Matthew Clarke
- Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Iowa Prisoner’s ADA Claim, by David Reutter
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- DC Circuit Court: “Three Strike” Prisoners Must Show Imminent Danger to File Lawsuits, by David Reutter
- New Documentary Released on Forced Sterilizations of Female Prisoners, by Edward Lyon
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- News in Brief
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More from Diana Claitor:
- Texas Disguising Deaths in Custody, Dec. 1, 2020
More from these topics:
- He Died in a Florida Jail. The Company in Charge Should Have Sent Him to the Hospital, Experts Say., July 1, 2026. Armor Correctional Health Services, Systemic Medical Neglect, Medical Neglect/Malpractice.
- BOP Supervisor in Colorado Indicted for Smuggling Over 400 Vapes, July 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- Tenth Circuit Upholds $33 Million Jury Award in Suit Over Detainee’s Horrific Death in Oklahoma County Jail, July 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Failure to Treat, Failure to Train/Supervise, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Deliberate Indifference.
- Colorado Prison Wardens Participated in Longstanding Racist, Homophobic Group Chat, July 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Racial Discrimination, Gay/Lesbian, Employee Litigation.
- New Jersey Lawmakers Pass “Female Incarcerated Person’s Rights Protection Act”, July 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Prison Rape Elimination Act, Staff Training, Mothers in Prison.
- Rikers Island Captain Nicknamed “Terror of the Tombs” Indicted for Extortion, Wage Theft, July 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Threats by Staff, DOC/BOP misconduct, Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Fraud and Deceit.
- Multiple Detainees Escape from Dilapidated North Carolina Jail, July 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Overcrowding, Staffing, Jail Specific, Security Systems, Criminal Justice, Prison Conditions.
- Three Women Died at a Michigan Prison in Less than a Month, July 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Failure to Treat, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- Video Shows Guards Watched as Oklahoma Detainee Died in Cell, July 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Contractor Misconduct, Guard Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death).
- After Spoliation Sanction, CoreCivic Settles Suit Over Suicide in New Mexico ICE Lockup, July 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Discovery, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.

