Texas Rangers investigating death of man in Denton police custody after ‘medical episode’

The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of a 38-year-old man who experienced a medical episode while in the custody of Denton police, according to a news release from police.

James Anthony Senase III, identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, died while in handcuffs and ankle restraints after experiencing a “medical episode,” according to police. The official cause of death, which will be released by the ME’s office, has not yet been determined.

Officers responded to a disturbance call around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday after a caller told dispatchers a man at a hotel in the 600 block of South Intestate 35E was “out of it” and breaking glass, according to the release. When officers arrived, they found two hotel room windows broken with a mattress thrown outside and broken glass on the sidewalk below.

They could hear Senase, the only person in the room, yelling and screaming and called for medics to stage nearby, according to the release. Officers got a key to the room from hotel staff, who told police they wanted Senase removed from the property and charged with criminal mischief. The officers could hear him continuing to yell for help.

The hotel is the Super 8 by Wyndham. A hotel employee who declined to share his name told the Star-Telegram the man had checked in earlier that night. He said he didn’t recognize the man’s name and thought it was his first time at the hotel.

According to police, officers entered the hotel room to find blood on the mattress and dismantled bedframe and the room damaged. When they entered the room, police tried to speak with Senase but said they weren’t able to get a coherent response from him and heard more damage happening in the bathroom.

At one point, Senase pushed a large piece of glass under the bathroom door and officers left the room “to isolate (him) and allow him time to calm down,” according to the release.

After about 30 minutes of trying to negotiate with Senase from the hallway, police said in the release that he got quiet and seemed to them to have calmed down. They entered the room again to find Senase lying on the bed and “sweating profusely” and telling police to shoot him, the release said.

They used double-lock handcuffs on him without resistance or any use of force on the part of the officers, but Senase started trying to roll around and kick officers, according to the release. Police said they used a leg restraint, wrapped around Senase’s ankles for his own safety. They did not elaborate in the release how this was done for his safety.

After he was restrained, the man had a “medical episode and became unresponsive,” according to the release. The medics staged in the area shortly after officers arrived took Senase to a hospital for treatment, according to the release. Police were informed Wednesday that he died at the hospital.

Denton police said officers had previously made contact with Senase at about 11:22 p.m. when he called 911 to report someone trying to get into his hotel room. When officers responded to his call, Senase said he was fine and did not need assistance and officers left the hotel before returning when they got the second call, the release said.

Denton police said they are not yet releasing the body-camera footage from officers who were on the scene because the Texas Rangers have taken over the investigation into Senase’s death. The Star-Telegram has filed an open records request for the body-camera video.

The Denton Police Department’s internal affairs division also is conducting an administrative investigation.

The officers involved, who were already scheduled to be off duty Wednesday, may be placed on administrative leave during the investigations by the Texas Rangers and police internal affairs at a later date, Denton Police Chief Frank Dixon said at a news conference Wednesday. He also said his officers acted appropriately responding to the call.

“Our officers really showed a great amount of restraint, they showed a great amount of professionalism to make sure this person was OK,” Dixon said.

The way officers responded, backing off and trying to talk to Senase, was meant to help deescalate the situation while still keeping him contained to the hotel room, Dixon said.

He said the officers will be connected with resources inside and outside the department to make sure they are OK.

This story was originally published June 22, 2022 3:59 PM.