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| Report: Prisoner deaths, beatings by fellow inmates increasing |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 05/24/2004 |
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At least five Los Angeles County Jail inmates have been killed or beaten during the past 18 months in retaliation for testimony against other prisoners, it was reported. The bloody toll is higher than previously acknowledged by the Sheriff's Department. Two jailhouse revenge attacks, one of them fatal, have been the focus of county officials and news accounts in recent days. "It's unacceptable that the sheriff has been unable to protect the safety of inmates in the county jails," Supervisor Michael Antonovich said. "This kind of failed management has created an intolerable situation." A Daily News review of claims filed with the county uncovered the additional attacks. The first widely publicized case involves Santiago Pineda, 23, of Long Beach, charged with murder in the death of inmate Raul Tinajero, 20, of Wilmington, who testified against him in a murder case. Authorities said Pineda slipped out of his cell at the Men's Central Jail on April 20 and roamed the jail for five hours before strangling Tinajero in his cell. As a result of the Tinajero case, the Board of Supervisors asked Sheriff Lee Baca to oversee multiple investigations to determine what systemic problems have led to such assaults. The inquiries are being carried out by the Sheriff's Department internal affairs and homicide bureaus, the Office of Independent Review, Special Counsel Merrick Bobb, the District Attorney's Office and the county grand jury. |
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