According to the Houston Police Department’s spoke’s person, 33 year old Robert Stephen was taken into custody on Sunday, December 27, 2015 on alleged public intoxication and resisting arrest charges. Based on his “behavior,” he was placed in an isolation cell, which means he was in a cell alone and was found dead hours later. Those who have spent time inside a county jail or prison, know that it is highly difficult for suicide to be committed within these facilities, especially in solitary confinement or during intake. Typically, if someone does commit suicide, it is after they have gotten their hands on a knife, a man made shank, or a razor, but access to these items transpires only after one has been detained for days or weeks, in this case there had been no mention of Stephen leaving his cell for any reason upon entering. Additionally, hanging oneself in a jail is more unusual than officers and the media would lead people to believe based on the physical makeup of a jail/prison cell; therefore, it may be concluded that foul play is involved when it is stated that an inmate has “killed” themselves.
There are many questions to be answered in this case. (1) If the medical examiner cleared Stephen to be released to a cell, is it safe to say that he had no medical issues or imminent injuries upon entering into isolation? (2) If the guards checked on Stephen every 15 mins for the 7 hours he was detained in isolation, and he was seen “lying on the floor at one point,” what time was it that he was seen lying on the floor? When they returned 15 mins later was he still lying there? And how much time between the time he was seen drinking a juice and him lying on the floor took place? (3) If he was found at 9:30am unresponsive, what was he doing at 9:15am “when they came to check on him,” was he responsive then?
While there may be a lot of explanations for why he ended up in jail, the only explanation many are interested in is HOW HE ENDED UP DEAD! No one is interested in his behavior prior to his arrest,the comments he made, or his disrespect toward officers etc, people only want to know what EXACTLY led to his death, period.
Based on Stephen’s personality, his zeal for life, his love for his children, friends, family members, and his desire to make a better life for himself, it can be safely concluded that he DID NOT take his own life, so who did? #JusticeForBobby