Inmate Jairo Gutierrez, 40, Died While In Custody At The Men’s Central Jail

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (November 16, 2023) – An inmate identified as Jairo Gutierrez has tragically died while in custody at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County officials are saying that the death took place on August 29. Very few details have been released at this time.

At some point while Jairo Gutierrez was incarcerated, he needed medical care. On August 29th he was pronounced dead by medical staff.

The cause of the in-custody death will be released later on by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner.

 

Liability For Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths

Thousands of inmates die in custody each year in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “In 2019, there were 1,200 deaths in local jails, a more than 5% increase from 2018 (1,138 deaths). The local jail mortality rate in 2019 was 167 deaths per 100,000 inmates, up 11% from 2000 (151 per 100,000).” Jails are supposed to take a number of measures in order to prevent inmate deaths.

• All correctional officers should be trained to recognized when an inmate is in medical distress.
• Jails should be stocked with Narcan in the event an inmate is going through an overdose.
• Correctional officers must abide by the instructions of medical staff.

When the state assumes control over a person’s autonomy through incarceration, certain constitutional standards will apply. All inmates have a constitutional right to receive adequate healthcare for all of their medical conditions. This includes any medical emergencies that an inmate may develop during their stay. If a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious health needs of any inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. It is important that evidence is preserved after any in-custody death.

• The location that any in-custody death took place should be known.
• Medical records related to the in-custody death should be sought.
• Jail records related to the inmate’s health conditions should be examined.
• An independent autopsy may need to be performed.

It is extremely important to determine what caused any in-custody death. Even if a death is supposedly “natural,” this might only be half of the story. For example, a person may die from a heart attack. However, the heart attack may have been brought on by a lack of proper medical care. 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 if an in-custody death was due to medical neglect.

Investigating Inmate Deaths At The Men’s Central Jail

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Jairo Gutierrez. There have been 15 deaths so far this year at the Men’s Central Jail. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what is going on so that other tragedies can be prevented.

Do you need more information about an inmate death at the Men’s Central Jail? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that jails are held accountable for their actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we may be able to assist you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.