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Page 2-A ky By PAUL SLATER Of the Express Staff The death of former mental patient Calvin C. Goldman, 23, of 103 Ninth St., Tuesday night in Bexar County Jail has been ruled a suicide by smoke inhalation by Deputy Medi cal Examiner Dr. Jesus Turulloll. Sheriff’s Lt. Dan Alonzo said Goldman placed a blanket in the only air passage to the isolation cell in the jail hospital ward. The mattress in the cell was then set afire. Jail records show that Goldman was moved from a fourth floor cell to the hospital ward following alleged violent behavior. In a report to Chief Jailer Jesse Dobbs, Guard E.G. Martinez said he smelled smoke in the hospital ward early Tuesday evening, but at first believed it to be inmates in soli tary confinement burning paper. Opening the door to where Goldman was confined, Marti nez said smoke poured from the cell. Martinez reported that it was on the sec ond attempt that he reached Goldman who was on top of a burning mattress. Martinez said he pulled Goldman from the cell and ad ministered both artificial respiration and oxy gen after detecting a pulse. Goldman, however, was dead on arrival at Green Hospital. According to investigation reports, it is not known how Goldman might have had matches in the hospital ward cell. Prisoners in the hos pital ward are not to have matches or light ers, according to the reports. Goldman was arrested early Monday morning by city officers answering a call at te Stop-N-Go Market at 1600 McCullough ie. Patrolmen James Beck and Eric Lake said a man was in the store shortly before 5 a.m. Monday and was threatening to kill everyone in the store. Two men, however, subdued the man making the threat. Before being taken to jail, Goldman was taken to Green Hospital for treatment of a small facial cut and scratches received in the scuffle, but officers said Goldman refused treatment. The dead man’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Otis Goldman of Falfurrias, said their son was committed to San Antonio State Hospital some time back, that Goldman had attended Texas AI University off and on, had lived in San Antonio several years, worked for Tri-Electric Supply Co. and had no prior trouble with police. Before Goldman was transferred to the hos pital ward, Guard Harold Lenzy reported that he tried to attack him with a broken plate. “I used necessary force to subdue him,” Lenzy reported. However, after the attack, Goldman “became very violent,” threw wa ter, “then assumed what appeared to be a karate stance and attempted to attack me again. I eluded his attack and again used nec essary force to subdue him,” Lenzy reported. Jail Medic Michel Barillet suggested that Goldman should be examined for a possible mental commitment. Jail reports show Goldman was belligerent, shouted about the Vietnam war and made boisterous remarks constantly while he re mained on the fourth floor. His parents said he had not been in the service. County Mental Health Department Chief Robert Pugh said he asked the federally-fund ed Alcohol Treatment Program to send a psy chiatrist to the jail. Jail reports reveal that a psychiatrist did not call on Goldman, prompting Pugh to de plore the lack of available psychiatric help at the jail except to alcoholics who are treated in the special program.
Newspaper Details
San Antonio Express
San Antonio, Texas, US
Thu, Aug 10, 1972
Page 95
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 27 Sep 2025
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