Inmate’s violent 2010 death leads to lawsuit in Fort Bend County
By ZEN T.C. ZHENG HOUSTON CHRONICLE
A woman whose son died a year ago while in custody in the Fort Bend County jail has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county and Sheriff Milton Wright.
Emmanuel Earl Baines, 18, who was in jail on a burglary charge, was repeatedly punched in the chest by another inmate on Feb. 13, 2010, according to a custodial death report filed by the sheriff’s office with the Texas Attorney General’s office. He was sent to Oak Bend Medical Center and pronounced dead at about 12:45 a.m. the next day, according to the report.
Roynecia Baines filed the lawsuit against the county and Wright on the anniversary of her son’s death, charging that they have “negligently, recklessly, knowingly or intentionally” failed to provide a safe environment and adequate safeguards to protect her son.