SOCORRO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – A former inmate is getting a multi-million-dollar payout after he said he was held in a New Mexico county jail cell for days without food and water. Jessie Chavez’s attorney said his client was tormented for days and now he hopes the money will help Chavez turn his life around.
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Chavez was arrested in June 2022 for missing court on a pending misdemeanor charge. Chavez’s attorney claims he was mistreated while he was experiencing mental health symptoms. His attorney said he was placed in a cell without a toilet, water, or food for days.
“He wasn’t receiving the medical care or the mental health care that he needed. Instead, they put him in this tiny closet and let him rot there,” said Director of the New Mexico Prison Project Steven Robert Allen.
Allen said his client was inside a cell forced to live in his own feces. Allen’s firm filed a lawsuit against the Socorro County Detention Center, staff, and county. The lawsuit said the treatment Chavez received violated his rights to medical and mental health help.
He was arrested again months later for failing to appear in court again. His attorney said he experienced the same treatment when he was kept in a cell without basic needs day after day.
Now, the county has agreed to a $2 million settlement in that case. “That’s what justice means for someone like Mr. Chavez. He didn’t get it. He had a right to it. And this is the result,” said Allen.
Chavez has a long criminal history, with charges including burglary, larceny, drug trafficking, and resisting an officer. However, in his more recent cases, he was found incompetent to stand trial.
According to Allen, this shows the change that needs to happen within the justice system. He said Chavez has struggled with mental health throughout his life. Allen hopes the money will help him get the care he needs. “We want him to have a stable home, the transportation he needs, the enjoyment for the rest of his life he often hasn’t had,” said Allen.
Court records show Chavez has not accrued any new charges for the last two years.
The County of Socorro sent this statement to KRQE News 13:
The County of Socorro is proud of its caring and attentive detention staff. Our staff provides quality care to all detainees, as the detainees are members of our community. Although we do not comment on litigation, the County disagrees with statements made by Plaintiff’s Counsel and the allegations in the complaint. The County continues to implement additional standards in the facility to improve the quality of care. The County is also continuing to effectuate positive change through the implementation of our welding program and other educational opportunities for our detainees. We, like every other entity in New Mexico and especially rural New Mexico, strive to address our community’s need for mental healthcare in an environment of extremely limited resources.