Family Files Federal Lawsuit After 24-Year-Old Dies in Jail Cell

The grieving family of a 24-year-old man has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against San Diego central jail after he was found sleeping in someone’s backyard. The victim, who experienced ongoing mental health struggles, was transferred to a cell with a man who was supposed to be kept separate from other detainees, the lawsuit contends. His cellmate was considered violent and had assaulted a deputy and was making threats, according to the complaint.

The victim was heard screaming as his cellmate tortured him for the next hour on January 16th, 2024, the civil rights complaint states. The decedent kept pressing the panic button in his cell, telling deputies over the intercom that his cellmate was going to kill him according to the complaint. Deputies in the jail’s control tower ignored his desperate calls for help and muted the intercom for at least 15 minutes, the complaint says. His cellmate kicked, punched, and choked the decedent who eventually lost consciousness. When the cellmate realized that the victim was still alive, the complaint alleges that he poured liquid soap into his mouth and nose. He then smothered the victim with a blanket, removed his clothing and sexually assaulted him with a bar of soap. The cell mate ripped the victim’s shirt and bound him with the pieces, the complaint alleges. Eventually deputies arrived during a routine cell check and found the victim face down on the floor of his cell, naked with his hands and feet bound behind his back.

The complaint alleges that the jail staff knew that the cellmate was dangerous and had to be kept separate from other inmates. Nonetheless, they still housed the victim with him.

The victim’s parents are now suing the San Diego County sheriff, undersheriff, and several sheriff’s deputies and employees who were working at the jail at the time of the victim’s death. The lawsuit alleges a deadly history at the jail and accuses jail staff of neglecting calls made over the intercom system.

The victim had a long history of drug abuse problems and mental health issues that contributed to his homelessness. The family contends that the victim was a vulnerable inmate and that the jail staff didn’t do enough to protect him from an inmate like the one he was housed with.

The victim was housed with multiple cellmates after he arrived at the jail, the complaint alleges. According to the complaint, his mental health issues were causing his cellmates to get aggressive towards him. His cellmates warned the deputy that there would be trouble unless they moved the victim somewhere else. The deputy knew that the victim was a vulnerable inmate but relocated him to a cell with a man who had a history of extreme violence and had never been assigned a cellmate because of his violent propensities.

Talk to an Oakland, California personal injury lawyer today 

The Oakland personal injury attorneys at Venardi Zurada represent the interests of grieving families in wrongful death lawsuits filed against negligent defendants. We serve the Bay Area from our office locations in Oakland and Walnut Creek. Call our office today to schedule an appointment, and we could begin investigating your allegations immediately.

Source:

sacbee.com/news/california/article300945244.html