SAN ANTONIO – An inmate was found unresponsive on her bunk and later pronounced dead at a Bexar County Sheriff’s Office facility Sunday morning.

Jasmine Zamion, 35, was discovered by a unit officer Sunday. Onsite University Health medical personnel immediately responded and attempted life-saving measures. San Antonio Fire and EMS arrived and pronounced Zamion dead at 9:00 a.m.

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Zamion, whose date of birth was Aug. 14, 1990, was arrested on Friday and had been in the unit since Saturday on a charge of criminal trespass. She was under the medical care of the on-site University Health Medical Staff and was following a current medical treatment plan.

The death investigation is being handled by the Castle Hills Police Department in accordance with the Sandra Bland Act. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards has also been notified of the death. Separately, the BCSO Internal Affairs Unit is conducting a concurrent administrative investigation, which is standard procedure.

Sandra Bland Act

The Sandra Bland Act, passed in Texas, primarily focuses on improving the safety and care for inmates in county jails, particularly those with mental health issues. Here are the key things the Act does for incarcerated individuals:

Improved Access to Mental and Physical Healthcare:

  • It requires county jails to provide prisoners with the ability to access a mental health professional through a telemental health service 24 hours a day, if on-site access isn’t available 24/7.
  • It requires access to a health professional (medical) at the jail or through a telehealth service 24 hours a day, or transportation for access if these services are unavailable.

Continuity of Medication: It mandates that a qualified medical professional must review as soon as possible any prescription medication a prisoner is taking when they are taken into custody to ensure the continuity of their care.

Enhanced Monitoring for At-Risk Inmates: Jails are required to install automated electronic sensors or cameras to ensure accurate and timely in-person checks of cells for individuals identified as high-risk.

Early Identification and Diversion:

  • It shortens the time required for a sheriff to notify a magistrate (judge) if they have credible information that a defendant has a mental illness or intellectual disability, from 72 hours to 12 hours. This is intended to speed up the process for mental health evaluations and potential release or diversion.
  • It makes it easier for defendants with a mental illness or intellectual disability to be considered for release on a personal bond (a release without paying a cash sum).

Independent Investigation of Deaths in Custody: It requires the Texas Commission on Jail Standards to appoint an independent, outside agency to investigate deaths that occur in county jails.

Essentially, the law aims to address the critical need for better mental health screening, treatment, and monitoring for individuals who are incarcerated.