Saving Lives in Custody, a local nonprofit fighting for answers to deaths in San Diego County jails, held a press conference Thursday asking the Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board to take action.
Saving Lives in Custody was joined by the family members and loved ones of individuals who died while in a county jail. Leaders of the nonprofit demanded attention from the review board, or CLERB, which investigates citizen complaints against the San Diego County Sheriff’s and probation offices.
“This group of activists and advocates for jail change has come here together to say that we are sick and tired of the loss of life that is done from malice and neglect,” said Yusef Miller, who founded the Saving Lives in Custody Campaign, a precursor to the nonprofit.
According to Miller, seven people have died in the county’s custody so far this year. A county report said three in-custody deaths had been reported as of April 24.
The deaths alone aren’t the only issue for the families. Hours of video footage from county jails apparently have gone missing, and the families are asking CLERB to hold the sheriff’s department accountable and ensure that footage isn’t deleted.
“We see this loss of evidence, and we think that we have no choice but to think it’s purposeful. Now it’s up to the sheriff’s department to prove to us that it’s not purposeful. But we are here as family members, we’re lacking information, we’re lacking clarity, so we can only say, ‘show us the evidence,’” Miller said.
The families present said they have no choice but to be suspicious of the department without it.
“This shows how the sheriff’s department are still trying to back out of being held responsible for these preventable deaths, and still they’re delaying, and they’re still denying families answers true to what truly happened to their loved ones,” said Paloma Serna, a member of Saving Lives in Custody.
Serna’s daughter Elisa Serna died in 2019 at Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility. Elisa’s death prompted the founding of Saving Lives in Custody.
The families present said they were just looking for answers.
“Please, CLERB, do your job. These deputies need to be held accountable. They need to have some kind of action. It’s not okay. I don’t know who they are that did that to my daughter,’ said Diana Sanchez, whose daughter, Vianna Granillo, died at Las Colinas in 2022.
After the press conference, families and Saving Lives in Custody attended a meeting with CLERB to ask for better accountability. They hope that through the meeting, officials can establish a way to preserve video footage and provide better transparency.
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