by At a press conference Thursday, the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board was urged to take action by Saving Lives in Custody, a local nonprofit organization that is working to find answers regarding deaths that have occurred in San Diego County jails.
The relatives and loved ones of those who passed away while incarcerated in a county jail joined Saving Lives in Custody. The nonprofit’s leaders urged the CLERB, which looks into public complaints against the San Diego County Sheriff’s and probation departments, to pay more attention.
Yusef Miller, who started the Saving Lives in Custody Campaign, a forerunner of the organization, stated, “This group of activists and advocates for jail change have come together to say that we are sick and tired of the loss of life that is done from malice and neglect.”
Miller claims that so far this year, seven people have passed away while in the county’s custody. As of April 24, three in-custody deaths had been documented, according to the county.
For the families, the fatalities are not the only problem. It appears that hours of camera footage from county jails have vanished, and the families are requesting that CLERB hold the sheriff’s department responsible and make sure the evidence isn’t erased.
We believe that we have no choice but to believe that this loss of evidence is intentional. The sheriff’s office must now demonstrate to us that it isn’t intentional. However, we are here as family members, and since we lack clarity and information, all we can say is, “Show us the proof,” Miller added.
Without it, the families in attendance claimed they have no choice but to be wary of the department.
According to Paloma Serna, a member of Saving Lives in Custody, this demonstrates how the sheriff’s department is still attempting to avoid taking accountability for these avoidable deaths, as well as continuing to delay and deny families the truth about what actually happened to their loved ones.
In 2019, Lisa Serna, Serna’s daughter, passed away at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. Saving Lives in Custody was founded as a result of Elisa’s passing.
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According to the families in attendance, they were merely seeking clarification.
Please, CLERB, carry out your duties. We must hold these deputies responsible. They must take action in some sort. It’s not acceptable. According to Diana Sanchez, whose daughter Vianna Granillo passed away in Las Colinas in 2022, “I don’t know who they are that did that to my daughter.”
Families and Saving Lives in Custody met with CLERB to request greater responsibility following the news presentation. Officials are hoping to improve transparency and find a means of preserving video recordings during the meeting.
