Investigation Underway After Male Inmate Died In Custody After Staying In Los Angeles County Jail 

pexels-pixabay-236380LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (August 6, 2024) – An inmate has died in custody at a Los Angeles County jail after being transported to the Intensive Care Unit.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials are saying that the incident took place around July 25. Correctional officers noticed that the inmate was in some type of medical distress.

Paramedics were called to the scene. The inmate was transported to the ICU of a local hospital. Despite life-saving measures, the inmate later died at the hospital.

A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths

Los Angeles has one of the highest instances of inmate deaths in the United States. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, “Sixty-four people have died in LA County jails since the start of 2023. Another person has died in Los Angeles County jails, marking the 19th in-custody death so far this year and the 64th since the start of 2023.” There are many common causes of inmate deaths in the United States.

  • Drug overdose
  • Drug withdrawal
  • Homicide
  • Suicide

When the state assumes control of a person’s autonomy through incarceration, they must be provided reasonable medical care. People in prison are not able to seek care for themselves the way that a free person would be able to. When a jail is deliberately indifferent to the serious medical needs of an inmate, this could form the basis of a constitutional claim. There are many ways that a jail may have shown indifference to the wellbeing of inmates.

  • Jail officials may not have performed periodic wellness checks.
  • Jail officials may not have taken an inmate to the hospital in a timely manner.
  • Jail officials may not have given an inmate a proper medical evaluation.

Inmate deaths are rarely the result of the wrongful actions of a single person. It is more likely that they are the result of systemic failures within jail systems. This is why it is so important that all inmate deaths are properly investigated. The family of any inmate who died in custody may be able to seek some measure of justice through a wrongful death claim.

Investigating Los Angeles County Inmate Deaths

We at the Sehat Law Firm were deeply concerned to hear about this death at a Los Angeles County jail. Any person who may have more information about what happened should speak with investigators. The number of deaths in LA County jails in recent months remains deeply concerning.

Do you need more information about a Los Angeles County inmate’s death? Our team of civil rights attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping inmates and their families get the support and justice that they are entitled to under the law. You can always reach out to us at (949) 825-5200.

 

 

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