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Inmate death lawsuit settlement: $1.25 million approved by Williamson County.
Williamson County Commissioners concede jail suicide. They approved $1.25 million in a settlement on Tuesday.
Published July 3, 2024 at 4:27pm by Claire Osborn
Williamson County Approves $1.25 Million Settlement in Jail Suicide Case
Williamson County, Texas – The Williamson County commissioners have approved a $1.25 million settlement to resolve a federal lawsuit over the preventable suicide of 37-year-old Joshua McNatt, who hanged himself in his cell in 2021.
On April 9, 2021, McNatt was booked into the Williamson County Jail on a charge of assault. Records indicated he was suicidal and had mental health issues, including paranoid schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression. Despite this, he did not receive his prescribed medication while in custody.
Three days later, on April 12, McNatt was on suicide watch when a corrections officer provided him with a bag containing towels, a sheet, and a blanket. Approximately 18 minutes later, officers found McNatt hanging in his cell. He was taken to a hospital for treatment but passed away 10 days later on April 22, 2021.
The lawsuit, filed by McNatt's mother, alleged that "Leaving Josh, who was undisputedly suicidal, in a cell with tie-off points and items with which he could form a ligature, was a violation of every known jail standard as well as clearly established law."
The settlement, paid predominantly by the county's insurance carriers, highlights a pattern of negligence in the Williamson County Jail. In the past few years, the county has settled at least two other lawsuits involving inmate deaths, including the case of Patrick Dupre, who attempted suicide in a similar manner, and Daniel McCoy, a mentally ill inmate who died after being denied medical assistance.
Read more: Williamson County approves $1.25 million to settle lawsuit involving jail inmate death