Inmate Arthur Ponto Died In Custody Following Medical Emergency At The Men’s Central Jail In Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (November 8, 2023) – An inmate identified as Arthur Ponto has tragically died after a medical emergency at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County officials are saying that the death took place on August 3. Correctional officers noticed that Arthur Ponto was suffering through some type of medical emergency.

The inmate was taken to the hospital in order to receive further care. Despite life-saving measures, Arthur Ponto was later pronounced dead.

His cause of death listed in the LA Medical Examiner’s death report was “hypertensive and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”

A full investigation remains ongoing at this time. So far this year, 15 people have died in-custody at the Men’s Central Jail.

 

Liability For Inmate Deaths At The Men’s Central Jail

Cardiac events are one of the leading causes of in-custody death in the United States. According to the Journal of American College of Cardiology, “Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among individuals incarcerated, and those recently released have a higher risk of being hospitalized and dying of cardiovascular disease compared with the general population, even after accounting for differences in racial identity and socioeconomic status.” There are many steps that jails should take to prevent inmates from dying due to cardiovascular disease.

• Jails should perform comprehensive medical screenings when an inmate is first admitted. These screenings should identify which inmates have pre-existing medical conditions.
• Jails should provide inmates plenty of time to exercise.
• Jails should provide inmates with nutritious meals that promote heart health.

Every inmate has a constitutional right to receive reasonably adequate medical care. This includes care for chronic health conditions. When a jail fails to provide inmates with proper care, this could easily lead to serious injury or death. A jail could even face civil liability if an inmate in their care dies.  If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate who dies, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any in-custody death.

• The medical care that an inmate receive prior to their death should be understood.
• The results of any autopsy that occurred should be known.
• Body camera footage from all officers involved should be recovered.

There is rarely one single event that may have contributed to any inmate’s death. Rather, in-custody deaths tend to happen when there are systemic failures across a prison. In particular, overcrowding can push a prison’s healthcare to the breaking point. This can impact the quality of care that every inmate receives. The family of any person that died in-custody may be able to seek some measure of justice through a constitutional claim.

 

Investigating Inmate Deaths At The Men’s Central Jail

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Arthur Ponto. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There have been so many deaths at the Men’s Central Jail this year. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to make this jail safer.

Do you need more information about an in-custody death at the Men’s Central Jail? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. Our legal team focuses entirely on helping people who have been harmed by law enforcement and medical neglect in jail. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any death we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.