Inmate in Northern California jail found dead in cell

Tyree had been behind bars for violating probation on a minor drug charge for about two weeks before his death.

That will encompass an apparent “cell extraction”, or forceful removal, of the inmate from a maximum-security cell sometime before his transfer to the eighth-floor psychiatric ward, for treatment of an unspecified mental illness, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Jensen confirmed the man was housed in an area where nurses are on staff round-the-clock but would not specifically state the location within the jail, citing HIPAA privacy laws.

Later that night at about 8:45 p.m., the inmate refused to move out of the cell despite repeated requests by staff that continued for about 90 minutes, Hirokawa said.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors directed county staff Tuesday to develop a plan for implicit bias training at the sheriff’s office.

On September 21, a week before the inmate died, deputies noticed a behavioral change in the inmate, who was being uncooperative and hitting his cell door with his fist, Hirokawa said.

Around 10:30 a.m., a Santa Clara County correctional deputy found the man, who has not been identified, unresponsive in his cell, said Sgt. James Jensen with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

A few deputies then entered the cell where they pulled Roches out, placed him in handcuffs and had him take a shower to decontaminate him from the sprays, Hirokawa said.

According to the U.S. investigative website Openjustice, during the period 2005-2014 a total of 6,837 inmates died in Californian jails. The man, whose name has not yet been released, was arrested twice this month on suspicion of assault, battery and public drunkenness.

Jereh Lubrin, 28, and Rafael Rodriguez, 27, posted $1.5 million bail each last week and are scheduled to return to court for a plea hearing on October. 13, court spokesman Joe Macaluso said.

Monday’s death remains under investigation, and Jensen says the sheriff’s office isn’t releasing additional details until the man’s family is notified.

The man is the third person to die while in custody since August.

“The sheriff and undersheriff have been talking with community members and trying to be even more transparent than we already are”, he said.