BRAZOS COUNTY - The Brazos County Sheriff's Office has initiated an internal investigation into the death of an inmate at the Brazos County Jail.
According to a Brazos County Sheriff's press release, Melvin Earl Jones was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital and died this morning from what is believed to be natural causes.
Initial reports indicate that Jones spoke to detention officers at approximately 5:45 a.m. and asked to see the doctor. Medical personnel responded and checked his vital signs and he was taken to the medical department along with other people scheduled to see the physician.
Jones was placed in a holding cell while waiting to see the doctor, there he visited with the nursing supervisor about his condition. A few moments later, Jones vomited and fell from the chair onto the floor. The physician was present and instructed personnel to summon EMS, who arrived and conducted an evaluation. The medics and jail medical staff immediately initiated CPR when he went into cardiac arrest. Jones was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:32 a.m. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death.
Jones had been in the Brazos County Jail since Aug. 2 and was charged with assault of a public servant. He was arrested by Bryan police following the assault of medical personnel at the emergency room on Aug. 2.
The Texas Rangers have been asked to conduct an independent investigation of the incident. The investigation by the Brazos County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers are standard procedure following a custodial death. A custodial death report will be forwarded to the Texas Attorney General.
