SOMERVILLE, Texas — The Burleson County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4 does not have a supposed guilty plea that landed Chester Jackson Jr in a Burleson County jail cell in April, after which he was discovered in an Austin hospital on life support.
Jackson was cited for public intoxication on April 19, 2019 within Precinct 4, according to Burleson County Justice of the Peace Office for that area. His lawyers say the Burleson County Sheriff told them Jackson was then brought before a magistrate court, pleaded guilty, and sentenced to spend a day in county jail.
However, there are no records of Jackson's supposed plea or records a jail sentence was handed down, inside his file at Precinct 4, according to the Justice of the Peace's Office. Officials say there is typically a paper trail for all hearings.
Records only exist for Jackson's public intoxication citation, a Class C Misdemeanor, and do not show any further action beyond deputies issuing the citation, according to Officials with the Justice of the Peace Office.
The Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4, Robert Urbanosky, said the records may be with another Judge who handled Jackson's case or with the county jail. The judge said this does not typically happen, but has happened before.
KAGS contacted another Justice of the Peace Office who may have the documents. Representatives for that office said they could not comment on an "active investigation," before KAGS Reporters could express which investigation they were calling about. After KAGS Reporters explained that the matter pertained to Chester Jackson, the representative said the judge would not comment and unexpectedly ended the call.
As of now, KAGS can not say with certainty that the records exist or that Jackson entered a guilty plea. KAGS has filed an open records request for the documents.
Deputies transported Jackson from his magistrate hearing to the Burleson County Jail, according to lawyers for Jackson's family. Then, when family claims they came to pick Jackson up on the following Saturday, April 20, they were informed Jackson was being held longer due to his mental state.
Two days later, on Monday, April 22, family members were informed Jackson was taken by a deputy to an Austin hospital and was in intensive care. Burleson County Sheriff Thomas Norsworthy told family deputies discovered Jackson injured and transported him to Austin, after he was released from custody, according to family lawyers.
On Wednesday, the Burleson County Sheriff's Office released its first public comment saying, "The Burleson County Sheriff’s Office denies the accusations being made against it, in regards to the Chester Jackson matter. Since this matter is pending investigation, we have no further comment at this time."
Jackson is currently conscious, but cannot speak, and remains in serious condition. Family members claim he has small marks on his body, which they believe are from a taser.