Adam Adams, of Upland, Killed  By Cellmate At  West Valley Detention Center In Rancho Cucamonga

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA (July 30, 2023) – An inmate identified as Adam Adams has tragically died at the West Valley Detention Center In Rancho Cucamonga.

San Bernardino County officials are saying that the incident took place around 5:00 a.m. on Sunday. Correctional officers noticed that Adam Adams was unresponsive on the floor of a shared jail cell.

Jail staff and medical personnel entered the cell and began life-saving efforts. Despite those efforts, Adam Adams was later pronounced dead.

His cellmate is currently being investigated as a suspect. A motive for the attack is unknown at this time.

 

Liability For San Bernadino County Inmate Attacks

Jails are supposed to be places of rehabilitation. But far too often they can be places of neglect and violence. According to Mother Jones, around 19% of all male inmates in US prisons have reported being physically assaulted by other inmates. Another 21% of inmates said that they have been assaulted by prison staff. There are a number of steps that jails should take to prevent inmates from harming one another.

• One way to decrease inmate-on-inmate assaults is to improve inmate classification. Generally speaking, non-violent inmates should not be paired with aggressive violent offenders.
• Inmates should be properly monitored during their stay.
• Jails should be adequately staffed by well-trained correctional officers. Under-staffing is one of the major contributing factors behind inmate assaults.

Inmates have a constitutional right to live in a reasonably safe environment. They must be protected from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes attacks from other inmates. When a jail has specific knowledge of particular threats, they must protect the person in danger. Failing to protect an inmate in such a situation could create the basis of a constitutional claim. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any inmate homicide.

• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• Jail records related to the assailant should be examined.
• It should be known if the attacker made any threats against the victim.
• An experienced civil rights advocate should be contacted.

Inmate assaults are rarely random. They are often calculated. But more importantly, they can be prevented when the right safety measures are taken. The family of any inmate that died after being attacked by another inmate may have legal recourse through a civil claim. It is important that all evidence is properly preserved after any attack. Evidence is what will ultimately be used to determine liability.

Investigating Inmate Attacks At The West Valley Detention Center

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Adam Adams. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other tragedies like this. There are so many questions that need to be answered.

Do you need more information about an in-custody death at the West Valley Detention Center? Our team of civil rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that inmates and their families are aware of their rights and that jails are held accountable for their neglect. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can call us anytime at  (949) 825-5200.