Medical Records Falsified By Midland County Jail

Savion Hall was in custody at the Midland County Jail at the time of his passing. He was arrested on June 21,2019 and placed into custody at the Midland County Jail. A few days later he was transported by ambulance to Midland Memorial Hospital, where he later died. His family is now suing the Midland County Jail.  In a statement released through the attorney representing the family Texas Medial released the following report:

Midland, Texas – 06/17/2021 —  Savion Hall was arrested and taken to the Midland County, Texas jail on June 21, 2019. During intake, the jail learned that Savion had what was referred to in a form as a “serious injury/hospitalization in the last 90 days.” The form indicated that Savion had such an event on June 20, 2019. The form also indicated that Savion was prescribed medication and had a chronic illness. The medical intake form showed that Savion had asthma and suffered from shortness of breath.

Savion spent a number of days in the Midland County jail. He needed breathing treatments during his detention due to significant physical difficulties. Savion ultimately left the jail in an ambulance and died after some time in a hospital.

Texas Rangers conducted an investigation of Savion’s death. During that investigation, the Texas Rangers learned that jail medical records for Savion had been falsified. Records would indicate, for example, that Savion would have a certain oxygen saturation level before a breathing treatment, and an allegedly improved oxygen saturation level after a breathing treatment. The oxygen saturation levels were listed as is typical, in percentages. However, upon reviewing video recordings, the Texas Ranger learned that oxygen saturation levels were not actually taken through the only way they could have been taken – use of a pulse oximeter.

Likewise, the Texas Ranger learned that bronchial breath sounds assessments, despite supposedly being conducted using a stethoscope on Savion, were not conducted as indicated in records. Records indicated that Savion’s bronchial breath sounds before a breathing treatment would be “wheezing,” and indicated after a treatment that they would be “improved.”  However, according to a physician interviewed by the Texas Ranger, jail medical personnel could not determine bronchial breath sounds without using a stethoscope. Once again, video evidence indicated that, despite bronchial breath sounds assessments indicated in the paperwork, many were not actually conducted.

A federal lawsuit was filed on June 16, 2021 in Midland on behalf of Savion’s family.  The lawsuit claims that Defendants violated Savion’s constitutional rights to reasonable medical care, to be protected, and not to be punished as a pre-trial detainee.

Constitutional rights lawyer Dean Malone represents Savion’s mother and the representative of Savion’s estate. Mr. Malone said, “Our law firm is unfortunately involved in a number of jail death cases across Texas. I have therefore seen people in Texas jails treated inhumanely, and have also seen suicidal inmates left to their own devices. The situation involving Savion is shocking by comparison to many other cases we have handled. It is beyond belief that anyone would write into medical records that a person with significant breathing issues was improving during breathing treatments when no assessments were actually made. One wonders whether the falsified records would have ever been discovered if Savion had not died. Those at fault for Savion’s suffering must be held accountable.”    Dean Malone

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