Jerry Wayne Bridwell

CUSTODIAL DEATH REPORT Agency Information ORIGINAL CDR Number: PA16121CJ Version Type: VERSION 3/24/2016 11:30 Report Date: Status: Submitted AM Agency/Facility Information Denton County 127 N. Woodrow Agency Name: Agency Address: Sheriff\'s Dept. Ln. Agency City: Denton Agency State: TX Agency Zip: 76205 Director Information Director Salutation: Sheriff Director First Name: William Director Middle Name: Director Last Name: Travis Reporter Name: Michael Tutt Reporter Email: [email protected] Decedent Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 1 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Identity of Deceased First Name: Jerry Middle Name: Wayne Last Name: Bridwell Suffix: Date of Birth: 12/2/1968 Sex: Male Race: Age At Time Of Death: 47 Date/Time of Custody (arrest, incarceration) (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Date/Time of Custody or 3/9/2016 10:26 AM Incident: Date/Time of Death (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Death Date and Time: 3/21/2016 9:49 PM Manner / Cause of Death Has a medical examiner or coroner conducted an evaluation to determine a cause of death? Medical Examiner/Coroner Yes, results are Evaluation?: available What was the manner of death? (select only one) Manner of Death: Suicide Custodial Death Report :: Page 2 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Medical Cause of Death: Medical Cause of Death: Hanging Had the decedent been receiving treatment for the medical condition that caused the death after admission to your jail's jurisdiction? Medical Treatment: Not Applicable If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, who caused the death? Not applicable; cause of death was Who caused the death?: suicide, intoxication or illness/natural causes If a weapon caused the death, what type of weapon caused the death? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of weapon that caused Not Applicable death?: Was the cause of death the result of a pre-existing medical condition or did the decedent develop the condition after admission? Not Applicable; cause of death was Pre existing medical accidental injury, condition?: intoxication, suicide or homicide If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, what was the means of death? Hanging, Means of Death: strangulation Custodial Death Report :: Page 3 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Location / Custody Information Where did the event causing the death occur? 127 N. Woodrow Street Address: City: Denton Lane County: Denton Zip: What location category best describes where the event causing the death occurred? Location Category: What type of custody/facility was the Decedent in at the time of death: Type of Custody: County Jail Specific type of custody/facility: Specific Type of Custody/Facility: Jail - single cell What was the time and date of the deceased's entry into the law enforcement facility where the death occurred (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Entry Date Time: 3/9/2016 10:26 AM Where did the death occur? Death Location: At medical facility General Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 4 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Did any other law enforcement agencies respond to calls for service related to this incident? Other Agencies Respond?: What were the most serious offense(s) with which the deceased was (or would have been) charged with at the time of death? Offense 1: Assualt Family/Household Member W/Prev Conv Offense 2: Assualt Family/Household BI Fam/House 2+ W/IN 12 Months Offense 3: Bond Insuff-Assault Family/Household Member W/Prev Conv Were the Charges:: Filed What were the types of charges or reason for contact? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of Offense: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent display or use a weapon? Decedent display/use of weapons: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Attempt to Injure Others?: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Appear intoxicated (alcohol or No Make suicidal statements?: drugs): Exhibit any mental health Exhibit any medical problems?: problems?: Custodial Death Report :: Page 5 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Barricade self or initiate Resist being handcuffed or No standoff?: arrested?: Physically attempt/assault Gain possession of officer's officer(s): weapon: Verbally threaten other(s) Escape or attempt to including law: escape/flee custody: Attempt gain possession officer's weapon: Was the deceased under restraint in the time leading up to the death or the events causing the death? Under Restraint: No Summary of Incident Summary of How the Death Occurred: (max. 30,000 characters) Summary: Denton County Sheriff's Office Internal Memorandum To:Sheriff Will Travis and Chief Deputy Rex George From:Captain Michael Tutt #1702 Date: March 22, 2016 Subject:In-Custody Inmate Death Report (Bridwell, Jerry SO#113046) INCIDENT: On March 21at approximately 1000 hours, I, Captain Michael Tutt #1702, attended a Jail Update Incident Meeting concerning Inmate Bridwell, Jerry SO #113046. On March 20, 2016 at approximately 1441 hours, Inmate Bridwell was found hanging in his cell by Detention Staff. Inmate Bridwell was found with a strip of fabric tied around his neck and secured the other end to the television shelf. Detention Staff cut the fabric attached to the television shelf and lowered Inmate Bridwell onto the bunk in the cell and began resuscitation efforts. Jail Medical Staff arrived and continued resuscitation efforts. Denton Fire and EMS Personnel arrived Custodial Death Report :: Page 6 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- and took over resuscitation efforts. Inmate Bridwell was transported to Denton Regional Medical Center. INVESTIGATION: On March 21, at approximately 1000 hours, I was notified of a suicide attempt by Inmate Bridwell, Jerry SO#113046. Inmate Bridwell had attempted to hang himself and was brain dead and on life support at Denton Regional Medical Center. I was directed by Chief Deputy Rex George #3872 to conduct the In-Custody Inmate Death Report should the life of Inmate Bridwell expire. On March 22, 2016 at approximately 1002 hours, I received an email from Lieutenant Larry Kish #1926 of the Denton County Sheriff’s Officer Criminal Investigation Division stating that Inmate Bridwell expired at 2149 hours on March 21, 2016. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office took possession of Inmate Bridewell’s body and a full autopsy was ordered. The case number for the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office is 1604575. At approximately 1213 hours, I downloaded the phone calls of Inmate Bridwell from the Securus Phone System. At approximately 1525 hours, I received a large manila envelope from Assistant Chief Deputy Mike Ganzer #1078. The large manila envelope contained, an Incident/Investigation Report, an email, a Unit 2 Daily Assignment Sheets, the inmate file folder of Inmate Bridwell, a disc and a smaller manila envelope with Inmate Bridwell’s name and SO number and was marked “Confidential-Protected Medical Information-Not for Public Release.” The smaller manila envelope contained a Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments, Incident Reports generated by Jail Medical Staff, Continuity of Care Query (CCQ), Intake Medical Information, Correctional Tuberculosis Program Symptom Screening Form, Denton County Medical Admission Assessment, Denton County Correctional Health Physician’s Notes, Denton County Correctional Health Memorandum, Denton County Correctional Health Transport Record, copy of paperwork from Denton Regional Medical Center, Incident Report from Jail Staff, copy of EKG, 10 medical record entries, Medical Administration Record, a Consent to Treatment Form and more paperwork from Denton Regional Medical Center. These items are numbered 1-48. The inmate file folder contained a Mugshot Profile, fingerprint cards, four Personal Bonds (PR Bonds), an Inmate Property Sheet, a Denton County Jail Booking Information, an Order for PR Bond, two Denton County Arraignment Sheets, four Denton County Warrants, a Denton County Sheriff’s Officer Needs Assessment Form, an Initial Custody Assessment Scale, a Daily Inmate Movement Sheet, a copy of a Denton County Correctional Health Memo, ten Denton County Jail Incident Reports, a Victim Notification Form, an Emergency Protection Order, two Probable Cause Affidavits, a Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments, Intake Medical Information, ADA and PREA information, two Texas DPS Criminal History Reporting Forms, a CCH, two fingerprint returns, two inmate request forms, two attorney visitation requests, a visitation log, 9 blue fifteen minute time check sheets, and a file checklist. At The incident reports indicate that on March 20, 2016 at approximately 1441 hours, Officer Craig Hamilton #4235 was performing a fifteen minute time check on Inmate Bridwell. Officer Hamilton was not able to get a response from Inmate Bridwell, therefore he summoned the assistance of Officer Kenneth Brooks #4140 in order to enter single cell S-1-E. Upon entering S-1-E, Officer Hamilton discovered Inmate Bridwell hanging in the cell. Inmate Bridwell was found with a strip of fabric tied around his neck and the other end secured to the television shelf. Officer Brooks called via radio for medical assistance. Officer Hamilton cut the fabric attached to the television shelf and lowered Inmate Bridwell onto the bunk in the cell and began resuscitation efforts. Jail Medical Staff arrived and continued resuscitation efforts. Denton Fire and EMS Personnel arrived and took over resuscitation efforts. Inmate Bridwell was transported to Denton Regional Medical Center. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office found the manner of death to be suicide by hanging. On March 23, 2016 at approximately 0840, I received a copy of the handwritten notes found in the cell where Inmate Bridwell was housed from Investigator John Schofield #1450. At approximately 0904 hours, I received a disc from Captain Tim Rich #1389. The disc contains video recorded visits of Inmate Bridwell. I have prepared a Custodial Death Report for the Texas Attorney General’s Office as well as an Inmate Death Reporting Form for the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. CONCLUSION: Based on all the collected and reviewed facts, statements, security camera recordings and medical documents, as well as the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Report, Inmate Bridwell’s Custodial Death Report :: Page 7 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- manner of death is suicide by hanging. Custodial Death Report :: Page 8 of 8