Protesters call for prison reform amid in-custody deaths at San Diego jails

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Relations rallied for jail reform exterior of San Diego County’s Central Jail Friday, claiming a number of males who died in custody had been uncared for and denied medical consideration. This comes amid an increase of in-custody deaths in our neighborhood.

Sabrina Weddle’s brother, Saxon Rodriguez, died within the Central Jail two years in the past. Weddle says it occurred simply 4 days after he was arrested.

“The deputies didn’t examine him in a well timed method, which is meant to be each hour. They checked him on the 65 minute mark,” stated Weddle. “Sadly — he bought a maintain of fentanyl. And since he was not checked on time, he was not capable of be revived.”

Weddle says she hasn’t gotten any solutions about how the medicine bought into the jail, which occurred at a time when pandemic restrictions did not permit guests.

“Each inmate that goes into this jail is scanned by a multi-million greenback scanner, but the deputies are usually not scanned,” stated Weddle. “And I’ve stated it time and time once more: My brother’s medicine had been returned residence with me after he handed away. So the medicine he died with weren’t his.”

Tammy Wilson says her husband, Omar Moreno Arroyo, was arrested in 2021 throughout a psychological well being disaster.

“Inside 12 hours, he died alone within the holding cell on the jail cell ground resulting from choking on his fabric face masks that was given to him,” stated Wilson. “Why was he arrested as an alternative of taken to a hospital?”

In line with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Division web site, there have been 19 in-custody deaths in 2022 and two up to now this yr. A report from the Citizen’s Regulation Enforcement Assessment Board says out of the state’s 12 largest counties, San Diego’s jails have the very best variety of “unexplained deaths” — usually accidents and overdoses.

Meaning researchers discovered so many extra deaths than anticipated, based mostly on county mortality charges, it is “extremely unlikely to be a matter of random likelihood.”

“We want the deputies to even be scanned, or for there to be a Okay-9 current on daily basis,” stated Weddle.

“I would like there to be extra psychological well being nurses, docs on workers to deal with individuals with a psychological well being disaster,” stated Wilson. “They do not need to be thrown in jail.”

The San Diego Sheriff’s Division gave the next written assertion to ABC 10News:

“We help the general public’s rights to free speech and meeting. We encourage the peaceable gathering of our communities who need their voices heard. We don’t touch upon any particular person case involving lively or pending litigation. For these circumstances I’ve to respectfully refer you to County Counsel. On the San Diego County Sheriff’s Division, we’re dedicated to the protection of the individuals entrusted in our care. We’re resolved in our core values of recognizing the dignity and worth of each human life. We have now instituted many modifications within the final yr, in addition to initiated a number of investigations to make sure insurance policies and procedures are being adopted.”

The division referenced this webpage as proof of current enhancements to native jails.