Inmate Josafat Bonifacio Killed In Suspected Homicide At North Kern State Prison In Delano

DELANO, CALIFORNIA (October 1, 2023) – An inmate identified as Josafat Bonifacio has tragically died following an attack at North Kern State Prison in Delano.

Kern County officials are saying that the incident took place on September 28. Jail officials said that Josafat Bonifacio was attacked by two inmates with an inmate-made weapon.

The victim sustained multiple stab wounds and was transported to the hospital in critical condition. Despite life-saving measures, Josafat Bonifacio died due to his injuries.

The two suspects have been moved to a restricted housing unit as a homicide investigation continued.

 

Liability For Kern County Inmate Homicides

Violence in state and federal prisons is unfortunately all too common. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Ten in 100,000 state prisoners died from homicide in 2018, the highest homicide rate in state prisons since 2001. Homicide was the cause of 2% of state and nearly 3% of federal prison deaths. There were 120 homicides of state prisoners during 2018.” There are many steps that jails should take in order to prevent inmate homicides.

• Inmates should be effectively supervised, especially during high risk situations.
• Violent inmates should typically be segregated away from non-violent offenders.
• Inmates should receive adequate mental healthcare during their stay.
• Jails should properly document inmate attacks.

All inmates have a constitutional right to be protected from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm.  This includes protection from violence at the hands of other inmates. When a jail has specific knowledge of particular threats and fails to protect an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. For example, an inmate may have let correctional officers know that other inmates were planning on attacking them. Jail officers may have still failed to take any action. Victims of inmate attacks tend to suffer very serious injuries including:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries
• Lacerations
• Spinal cord injuries

It is rare for inmate attacks to be completely random. They are often planned to a high degree. They also tend to involve the use of weapons that correctional officers fail to confiscate. It is important that inmates and their families understand their constitutional rights. The family of any person that died in an attack in prison may be able to hold the jail accountable through a civil claim.

Investigating Inmate Attacks At North Kern State Prison

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of Josafat Bonifacio. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. It is our sincere hope that prison officials will take meaningful steps to prevent other tragedies like this.

Have you or someone that you care about been harmed while staying at the North Kern State Prison? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of civil rights attorneys are here to answer any legal questions that you may have. We care deeply that inmates are aware of their rights and that jails are following the constitution. 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.