Anthony Ramirez, 41, (Full Name: Anthony Edward Ramirez) Died In Custody At The Central Detention Center In San Bernardino

SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA (September 18, 2023) – An inmate identified as Anthony Ramirez has tragically died while staying at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino.

San Bernardino County officials are saying that the incident began around 8:42 p.m. on Saturday. Jail staff noticed that Anthony Ramirez was unresponsive inside of his jail cell.

Medical staff entered the cell and began life-saving measures before transferring the inmate to a local hospital. Despite the efforts of hospital employees, Anthony Ramirez was later pronounced dead.

His death is believed to have been the result of asphyxia. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

 

Liability For San Bernardino County Inmate Deaths

Jails can be awful places where many inmates experience regular abuse and mistreatment. This is often compounded by the trauma that many people already have as they enter prison. It is therefore not surprising that suicide is one of the leading causes of inmate death. According to Florida Atlantic University, “In America’s jails, suicide is the leading cause of death – the rate of suicide is nearly three times higher in jails than in prisons or the general public. Estimates show that there are 80 suicide attempts for every fatal suicide within a correctional facility.” While it is impossible for any jail to prevent every potential instance of inmate self-harm, there are reasonable steps that jails should take to help prevent suicide.

• Inmate should get a proper mental health screening before they are admitted into prison.
• Jail staff should be properly trained to be able to recognize the signs of suicidal behavior and how to respond appropriately.
• Inmates at heightened risk of suicide should be closely monitored and observed.

All inmates have a constitutional right to receive reasonably adequate healthcare. This includes care for mental health conditions. Accordingly, jails must take reasonable measures in order to prevent inmate suicides. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the prospect that an inmate will kill themselves, this could form the basis of a civil claim. For example, a jail may have not taken any action after an inmate made multiple suicide attempts. There are many steps that should be taken after any in-custody death.

• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• Medical records should be preserved.
• Surveillance footage should be sought.
• An experienced civil rights attorney should be contacted.

Jails are supposed to be places of rehabilitation. But often they become dens of neglect where constitutional standards are not met. It doesn’t help that many jails have relatively little oversight. The family of any person that died in-custody may have legal recourse through a constitutional claim. A civil rights attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

 

Investigating Inmate Deaths At The Central Detention Center

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Anthony Ramirez. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent other tragedies like this. Inmates have constitutional rights that must be protected regardless of why they are in jail.

Do you need more information about an in-custody death at The Central Detention Center in San Bernardino? Our team of civil rights advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We focus on helping people who have been harmed by jail neglect. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.