Harrell v. City of Belen

I dissent.

Paul P. Harrell, 17 years of age, while incarcerated in the city jail in Belen, committed suicide. He had been apprehended by the city police in the commission of a burglary of a business establishment in Belen, armed with a gun. After being taken to jail, he was visited by his mother. Paul did not talk much. He was afraid of going to the penitentiary. He cried. He had tried to cut his wrist or arm with the flip top of a can, and told his mother not to return because he would not be there. When his mother left, she told the officers to take care of him or he would kill himself. She…