Paper: Houston Chronicle

Date: Thu 08/16/2007

Section: B Page: 5 Edition: 3 STAR

Family says care promised by police didn't materialize / Siblings of man who died claim officers had said they would get him medical attention

By MIKE GLENN STAFF

Relatives of a southeast Houston man who died while in police custody said HPD officers reneged on a promise to get him medical attention, opting to take him to jail instead.

Darrell Lauderdale, 44, was arrested for public intoxication about 11:40 p.m. Monday in the 6000 block of Vasser. He was brought to HPD's southeast jail at 8300 Mykawa where HPD officials said he had a "psychotic episode," and went into convulsions.

Lauderdale stopped breathing at the jail. He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

On Wednesday, family members said it was clear that he was having health problems - including profuse sweating and a racing heartbeat - before he was taken into custody.

The officers "told me they were taking him straight to the hospital from here," said his twin brother, Derwyn Lauderdale.

Cleatrice Timmons, Lauderdale's sister, said she called police because someone was beating on the front door of her home in the 5900 block of Westover. "I was home alone. I didn't know at the time that it was (Lauderdale) at my door," Timmons said.

After realizing it was her brother, Timmons said she told officers that something was wrong with him. She said they told her he would be taken to a Harris County Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority facility for an evaluation.

An HPD spokesman said he couldn't comment.

mike.glenn@chron.com

 

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