Inmate Steven Price (Full Name: Steven Alfred Price) Died After Being Found Unresponsive In His Cell At Long Beach City Jail

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA (July 9, 2023) – An inmate identified as Steven Price has tragically died after being found unresponsive in his holding cell at Long Beach City Jail.

Los Angeles County officials are saying that the incident began around 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Detention officers were conducting routine safety checks when they noticed that Steven Price was unresponsive in his cell.

Officers and a jail nurse entered the cell in order to render medical aid. Paramedics were called and then took over life-saving measures. Sadly, though, Steven Price was pronounced dead in the jail.

A full investigation into the in-custody death remains ongoing at this time.

 

Liability For In-Custody Deaths At The Long Beach City Jail

Thousands of inmates die in-custody every year in the United States. Jails will often list the cause of these deaths as ‘natural.’ But this doesn’t quite capture the true story of what is going on. According to one study by UCLA, half of the Los Angeles jail deaths that they studied which were listed as ‘natural’ showed signs of physical harm. For example, many of these inmates had hematomas, bone fractures, and lacerations. The average age of those that died  in custody by ‘natural’ causes was 40. For perspective, the average life expectancy in the United States is 79. There are a number of common causes of inmate death.

• A lack of medical care for health conditions
• Attacks by other inmates
• Drug or alcohol intoxication
• Heart disease
• Suicide

Inmates have a constitutional right to receive reasonably adequate care. This includes giving inmates psychiatric care as well as treatment that they need for chronic illnesses. This care should not be limited solely to when an inmate may need it the most. But far too often this is exactly what happens. Instead of being proactive, jails will often wait until someone is in the midst of a serious health crisis before they will intervene. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, they could be held responsible for a death. Jails should take a number of measures to keep the inmates in their care healthy.

• Inmates should get a health screening before being admitted.
• Correctional officers should follow the instructions of nurses and other medical professionals.
• Jail officers should be trained to never assume that an inmate is “faking” their illness.
• Jails should be transparent about in-custody deaths.

The death of a loved one is often one of the most difficult things that most people will go through in their life. Losing someone in jail can be magnitudes worse. In many situations, family members won’t be able to properly say goodbye. To make matters worse, jails are almost never completely transparent about in-custody deaths. The family of any person that died in custody can hold the jail that their family was in accountable through a civil claim. A civil rights advocate can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

 

Investigating In-Custody Deaths At The Long Beach City Jail

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Steven Price. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. The number of in-custody deaths in LA County is deeply concerning.

Do you need more information about an in-custody death at the Long Beach City Jail? Our team of civil rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to holding government bodies and the police accountable for those that they harm. Whether you just have legal questions or have had your constitutional rights violated we may be able to assist you. You are always welcome to reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.