Family of inmate killed in El Paso Jail Annex file lawsuit against the county
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The family of the man killed in the El Paso Jail Annex in 2023 is suing El Paso County.
Jesus Torres died Monday, November 27, 2023 when a group of inmates beat, strangled, and stabbed him, according to court documents. Officials charged the attackers with murder.
Investigators at the time described the murder as "gang-related."
In their civil lawsuit, Torres' family claims the county did not do enough to protect his safety while incarcerated.
"The County acted or failed to act at all relevant times through its employees, agents, representatives, jailers, and/or chief policymakers, all of whom acted under color of state law at all relevant times, and is liable for such actions and/or failure to act to the extent allowed by law," they wrote in the lawsuit, which has been obtained by ABC-7. "The County’s policies, practices, and/or customs were moving forces behind, caused, were proximate causes of, and were producing causes of constitutional violations and damages (including death) referenced in this pleading."
In the months following Torres' death, a Texas Commission on Jail Standards review of the incident found that inmate checks were not preformed properly in the hours after Torres was murdered.
In response, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Unit stated that the inmate checks were done in the required time frames, but not "in the manner required by agency policy and TCJS rules."
