Family questions whether inmate committed suicide
SAN JOSE >> Family members and jail-reform advocates held a vigil this weekend for an inmate who officials said committed suicide while in custody at the Santa Clara County Main Jail, questioning whether the young man actually killed himself.
Isai Lopez, 23, of San Jose, had been in jail for nearly a month on multiple assault charges when he died last Sunday, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The administration has concluded that Lopez hung himself in his one-person cell, sources familiar with the case said.
But Lopez’s griefstricken relatives told the group of about 75 people at the vigil in front of the Main Jail on West Hedding Street on Friday evening that there was no way he would have ended his own life. The socialjustice group Silicon Valley De-Bug helped organize the gathering on the jail steps.
“Today, it was my brother, tomorrow it could be your child,” said Lopez’s sister Nailely Escobedo. “We need to stand together and find out the truth.”
One of his aunts, Tia Ramirez, said Lopez was deeply loved by his many relatives.
“We are a family,” she said, “and our family has been broken.”
The Sheriff’s Office released a statement to dispel suspicions about how Lopez died.
“All security incidents involving Mr. Lopez have been thoroughly reviewed since he entered custody, and none of these reviews support claims being provided to media by outside parties,” the agency said. “In this case, there is overwhelming video evidence that Mr. Lopez committed suicide.”
Lopez was facing up to four years in prison, significantly more than the one year he had expected, after failing to appear in court for a hearing. He also was ineligible to bail out for the same reason. And his girlfriend had indicated she was not inclined to continue their relationship after he served his term, according to jail calls that were recorded.
Even if guards did not kill Lopez, De-bug director Raj Jayadev said Sheriff Laurie Smith and the county may bear some responsibility for his death. Prior use of excessive force to subdue an inmate and isolating him in his cell are among the factors that can play a role in an inmate’s death, he said.
Inmates are not videotaped inside their cells to protect their privacy. But there is footage of the scene from the correctional deputies’ bodyworn cameras, according to the sheriff’s administration. There also may be video of the entryway into the jail unit, showing who entered and at what time.
This news organization on Friday filed a public records request with the County Counsel’s office for a copy of any videos.
Inmates’ friends and relatives — and some in the community at large — don’t trust the sheriff’s administration, or the correctional deputies whom the
sheriff is responsible for, to treat inmates humanely. In 2015, three correctional officers fatally beat a mentally ill inmate, Michael Tyree. All three guards, including the son of a retired Santa Clara County prosecutor, were convicted of second-degree murder and are serving 15 years to life in prison.
In addition, the public learned through reports by this news organization and Metro after Tyree died that a different group of jail guards — including the president of the guards’ union — had been exchanging vile, racist texts, including images of swastikas and Ku Klux Klan members in pointy white hoods.
Smith fired the head of the guards’ union. She also demoted the leader of the deputy sheriff’s union, who received the texts but failed
“Today, it was my brother, tomorrow it could be your child. We need to stand together and find out the truth.” — Nailely Escobedo, sister of Isai Lopez
to stop them. He has since resigned.
Still, distrust remains high and played a significant role in forcing Smith into a runoff next month for her sixth term against retired Undersheriff John Hirokawa.
The sheriff’s statement indirectly addresses the public’s concerns.
“The loss of any life is tragic and deeply affects numerous families, the community and our organization. The Sheriff’s Office stands by its implemented reforms in providing greater care to our inmate population, assuring that our correctional facilities are safe for our staff, professional personnel, and inmates alike.”
Lopez was found unresponsive
inside his cell about 8:06 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies and medical staff at the jail attempted life-saving measures, administering CPR and first aid, and calling for an emergency response. The San Jose Fire Department arrived at the jail about 8:18 p.m. and pronounced him dead soon after.
His death remains under investigation by sheriff’s detectives, along with the District Attorney’s Office and the independent Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office, as is standard protocol after an in-custody death.