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Monday, March 18, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

No Charges for Death in Dallas Jail Lobby

DALLAS (CN) - A Dallas County grand jury declined to indict four sheriff's deputies for the death of a man who sought help in a jail lobby and died after being handcuffed and restrained.

The four deputies were no-billed by the grand jury, the Dallas County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez placed at least six deputies on restricted duty after the death.

The victim, Joseph Hutcheson, 48, of Arlington, parked his truck outside the county jail on Aug. 1 and ran inside, yelling that his wife was trying to kill him.

A video shows Hutcheson being taken down and handcuffed. He flails his legs on the ground and then goes limp, and deputies perform CPR.

Witnesses said Hutcheson told deputies he could not breathe and his face turned blue. He was taken to a hospital and died.

Hutcheson's family has held several protests at the county jail, demanding release of the lobby video and answers for Hutcheson's death.

The family's attorney, Scott Palmer in Dallas, said the no-bills were disappointing, but not surprising.

"The family will have to let all this sink in and will move on to the next chapter, which is filing the civil lawsuit and holding the jailers accountable," he told The Dallas Morning News. "I'm particularly puzzled because the whole set of circumstances that set this in motion begs the question they had something to do with his death — more than nothing — which is what a no-bill essentially says."

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