Rancho Cucamonga, CA – 66-year-old Phillip Lester of Moreno Valley has died while in the custody of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at the West Valley Detention Center, according to an official release from the department. Lester had been in custody since March 2025.
Incident Details
On May 8, 2025, at around 6:00 a.m, deputies at the West Valley Detention Center noticed Lester was having difficulty walking and breathing. They would take him to be evaluated by medical personnel. An ambulance would then take Lester to a local hospital. Lester would die at the hospital on May 11, 2025.
An autopsy and investigation are both underway to determine Lester’s cause of death.
The Ongoing Crisis of In-Custody Deaths
This is not an isolated incident, as San Bernardino County has faced repeated scrutiny over conditions in its detention centers. A recent report by the California Department of Justice found that in-custody deaths across California totaled over 150 annually in recent years, with medical emergencies, withdrawal symptoms, and lack of timely care cited as frequent causes.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, over half of jail deaths involve people who were not yet convicted of a crime—many being held pretrial. These individuals retain full constitutional rights, including access to adequate medical care and humane conditions.
Under federal civil rights law—42 U.S. Code § 1983—families of individuals who die in custody may seek legal redress if there is evidence of negligence, deliberate indifference to medical needs, or excessive use of force.
Seeking Justice For In Custody Deaths
We at the Sehat Law Firm offer our condolences to the family of Phillip Lester.
How can our firm assist with an investigation? Should you decide to consult with our firm, our investigation typically includes some or all the following investigative activities
- obtaining and reviewing medical records, autopsy reports and blood toxicology screening reports
- requesting a Public Records Request Act for documents and evidence for locating and interviewing critical witnesses to an incident
- subpoenaing third party entities if our firm is retained and a lawsuit is initiated
- securing surveillance video evidence, and at minimum, placing the jail entity on notice to preserve potential video and tangible evidence of an incident.
- identifying and contacting potential witnesses, if available.
What should I know if I want to file a wrongful death lawsuit?
Contact our experienced Civil Rights lawyers so we can analyze all your options and hear the specifics of your case. We will also assess your loved one’s history with the jail facility they were treated at. Having as much documentation and physical evidence as possible will help prove your wrongful death case so our attorneys can examine them and help bring you and your loved one justice.
If you or a loved one has been impacted by police misconduct or an in-custody incident, contact The Sehat Law Firm at (949) 825-5200 for a free consultation, or complete the form at the bottom of this page to discuss your case with our legal team.
Legal Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and should not be considered legal or medical advice, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. Laws vary, and any referenced here may not apply to your situation. This article was created from secondary sources and may not be completely accurate. If you have any concerns, please contact us, and we’ll update or remove the post as needed.
