Inmate Chatman Gobert (Full Name: Chatman Oliver Gobert) Died Following Medical Emergency At Texas Department of Criminal Powledge In Palestine
ANDERSON COUNTY, TEXAS (January 17, 2024) - A 56-year-old man identified as Chatman Gobert has tragically died while staying at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Prowledge Unit in Palestine.
TDCJ Powledge Unit officials are saying that the incident began on January 14. Jail staff noticed that Chatman Gobert was in medical distress.
Life-saving measures were initiated by prison staff before they were taken over by paramedics. Sadly, though, these efforts were not successful and Chatman Gobert was later pronounced dead.
His medical cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For TDCJ Powledge Unit Inmate Deaths
Texas has one of the highest instances of inmate deaths in the United States. This is likely due to many conditions that inmates face at Texas jails including heat during the summer months. According to AP News, “a November study by researchers at Brown, Boston and Harvard universities found that 13%, or 271, of the deaths that happened in Texas prisons without universal air conditioning between 2001 and 2019 may be attributed to extreme heat during warm months.” There are a number of other common causes of inmate death.
- Homicide
- Suicide
- Excessive force
- Cardiac arrest
Every inmate enters the jail system with a unique set of health needs. Jails have a legal obligation to provide inmates with adequate healthcare. Failing to provide inmates with reasonable healthcare is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. There are many ways that a jail may have failed to properly care for an inmate which contributed to their death.
- A jail may have failed to perform routine safety checks on inmates.
- A jail may have failed to give an inmate the medication that they needed.
- A jail may have failed to get an inmate to the hospital in a timely manner.
It can be hard to know what to do if someone that you love has died while in custody. To make matters worse, jails are rarely transparent about how any inmate death takes place. Jails are quick to label many inmate deaths as “natural.” But this label can often be highly misleading. Many supposedly “natural” Inmate deaths involve some amount of medical neglect. The family of any person that died in a county jail may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Investigating TDCJ Powledge Unit Inmate Deaths
We at Scott H. Palmer, P.C. extend our deepest condolences to the family of Chatman Gobert. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. State officials should do their part and implement greater oversight so that other tragedies can be prevented.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed in the TDCJ Powledge Unit jail? You may have legal recourse. Our team of civil rights advocates are committed to making sure that inmates are treated with the dignity and respect that they are owed under the law. When any inmate dies in-custody, we work hard to hold jails accountable for their negligent actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 214-987-4100.