The following press release was just issued from our office:
Inmate Jason Gomez, 35, of Anaheim died at about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.
He had been involved in an incident on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at the Intake Release Center. The incident is still under internal review by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office is investigating to determine if any criminal conduct was involved in the death.
The facts gathered by the Sheriff’s Department at this time indicate that an Orange County Health Care Agency mental health nurse’s arm was injured by inmate Gomez. The inmate’s continued erratic behavior caused jail staff to enter his cell and a struggle ensued. Tasers were deployed. Several jail staff suffered minor injuries. Injuries to deputies included a bitten finger, bruising and blood exposure when the inmate spat at the deputies.
Gomez was restrained but later stopped breathing while awaiting the arrival of medical transportation. CPR was administered by jail medical staff and deputies. Paramedics were summoned and Gomez was rushed to a local hospital by ambulance. The extent of injury to the inmate was at first unclear and it was initially reported that he would survive. Further tests revealed more complications. His next of kin were notified last week.
On Friday, March 28, when it appeared that the inmate was in a life threatening condition, the District Attorney’s office was briefed and informed. The District Attorney, with the support of Sheriff’s investigators, then initiated an investigation into the incident.
On Tuesday April 1st, Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson placed several personnel on paid administrative leave, pending the Sheriff’s Department’s internal review of the incident. Administrative leave is not a disciplinary action and does not reflect any finding of wrongdoing. The administrative review will continue during the Sheriff’s Department’s internal affairs investigation.
Mike Gennaco, executive director of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Office of independent review met on Monday with the Department’s officials to review what is known and what needs to be done in the probe. Acting Sheriff Jack Anderson retained Gennaco to help review Department policies and procedures in the effort to prepare for the Office of Independent Review that is being formed in Orange County.
This is the first time that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has included an outside monitor for an internal investigation.
The Sheriff’s Department will have no further comment, pending the outcome of the District Attorney’s investigation and the Sheriff’s internal review.