KZTV

Posted: Feb 8, 2010 9:13 PM
Updated: Feb 8, 2010 10:47 PM

CORPUS CHRISTI - A Nueces County Jail psychiatrist had given the 'ok' for inmate Samuel Salazar to be taken off 'suicide watch' Friday night. Assistant Chief Deputy Mike Mc Kenzie said Salazar had a history of suicidal attempts. One as recently as a few weeks ago. Salazar was alone in his cell Sunday night awaiting trial for aggravated sexual assault. Mc Kenzie says Salazar had allegedly raped his own mother. "He was in one of our direct supervision units. He was checked on about 1840, which is 6:40 in the evening. And he was fine." Mc Kenzie said guards checked on Salazar every 30 minutes. But shortly after 6;40 pm Sunday night another inmate alerted the guards aboutr Salazar. "He had used one of our bed mattress covers rather. And he tied it to the bunk area. And then around his neck. And it was short enough that it constricted the air flow." Mc Kenzie added that there is a possibility that Salazar deceived the psychiatrist in order to get taken off the suicide watch, in order to get more time to make another attempt on his life. Mc Kenzie says the jail will review what happened to make sure they followed procedure. They also have to report this incident o the Attorney General's ooffice and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.