The family of a man who died at the San Diego Central Jail rallied outside the downtown county lock-up Friday -- the three- year anniversary of his death -- for answers regarding the circumstances behind his passing and reform in the county's jail system.
Jerrell Lacy, 38, died on April 11, 2022 from what sheriff's officials described around the time of his death as natural causes.
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WATCH HEREHis family says Lacy complained of symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath and was cleared to go to a hospital. But according to a 2023 report from the county's Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board, Lacy was returned to his cell just before he was set to be transported, went into medical distress, and died shortly thereafter.
Lacy's mother, Vickie Lewis, said she had to bring up her son's medical issues to the attention of the jail's staff because her son was not being checked on. Lewis said she believes her son's ongoing mental health issues led jail staff to ignore his physical concerns.
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SIGN UP The CLERB report says video surveillance footage of the events on the day of his death has not been preserved, which Lacy's family says could have shed more light on whether more could have been done.
Lacy's family also says they haven't received sufficient information regarding a use-of-force incident that occurred just over a week before Lacy died. Lacy had told his mother a deputy "burst my head," leading to his hospitalization.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner ultimately ruled his cause of death was pulmonary thromboembolic disease due to deep vein thrombosis. Though his death was ruled natural, Lewis said she believes the use-of-force incident could have exacerbated her son's health problems.
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Paloma Serna of the nonprofit Saving Lives In Custody California, said in a statement, "This is not just about Jerrell. It's about every person who has died preventable behind bars while their families are left in the dark. We are calling for accountability, not just for Jerrell, but for the future of justice in San Diego County."
