The family of another man who died in sheriff’s custody has filed a federal lawsuit against San Diego County and the officials who run the jail and its healthcare system.
Barbara Brisson, whose son Aaron Bonin died after being transferred from a state hospital to the Men’s Central Jail last year, accuses Sheriff Kelly Martinez and a host of other defendants of wrongful death, negligence, deliberate indifference and other allegations.
The 34-page legal complaint is the latest in a long-running series of lawsuits brought by relatives of men and women who died in San Diego County jails.
More than 200 people have died in local jails since 2006, records show. And a state audit concluded last year that conditions in the county’s seven facilities were so dangerous that legislation was needed to force reforms.
Bonin, who was 43 and had longtime medical and mental-health issues, was found unconscious in his cell in October 2022.
The death certificate lists Bonin’s cause of death as end-stage renal disease. The lawsuit alleges that jail officials knew about but failed to properly treat the condition.
At the time Bonin died, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that he died “after being treated for complications associated with several long-term illnesses.”
Department officials did not respond to a request for comment on the new lawsuit.
Bonin was one of 20 people to die in sheriff’s custody last year, a number that includes one man who died hours after he was granted a compassionate release.
So far this year, 13 people have died in San Diego County jails. Earlier this fall, Sheriff Kelly Martinez introduced a $500 million plan to upgrade jails and reduce deaths in custody.
The lawsuits over the continuing jail deaths share repeated similarities.
Specifically, they claim the Sheriff’s Department failed to provide proper healthcare and that employees lack the training required to provide appropriate supervision.
“Jail staff, including deputies and medical staff, were aware of Aaron’s chronic conditions and need for extensive medical care because he had been in their care and custody many times previously and defendants had access to his records, including medical records,” the lawsuit filed by Bonin’s mother says.
According to the lawsuit, Bonin had been in treatment at Patton State Hospital, a psychiatric facility in San Bernardino. Under California law, Department of State Hospitals patients must be periodically recertified for civil commitments.
Bonin was returned to San Diego County for reconsideration of his civil commitment in September 2022.
Jail officials were aware that Bonin not only had diagnosed serious mental-health issues, he suffered from kidney disease and required multiple dialysis treatments per week, the lawsuit says.
He also needed a so-called “renal diet,” which excluded high-potassium foods like bananas.
But Bonin was delivered regular meals more than once, and the potassium levels in his blood climbed to dangerous levels, the plaintiff said. Hours before he was discovered seriously ill in his cell, a nurse checked on Bonin.
“She found Aaron lying on the floor,” the legal complaint states. “He told her ‘I feel like I am having hypotension.’ She checked his blood pressure only, assured Aaron his blood pressure was okay, and left.”
The complaint then asserts that the nurse failed to record the encounter in the jail medical file for several days.
“Defendants breached their duty of care such that Aaron’s prolonged health crisis was deliberately ignored,” the lawsuit says.
Once Bonin was found dangerously sick in his cell, he begged to be taken to the hospital, the complaint says, but jail officials refused.
Hours later, he was discovered unconscious inside his cell. Deputies began cardiopulmonary resuscitation and called 911.
“Aaron was pulseless and not breathing,” the lawsuit alleges. “His skin was cold and clammy and he was cyanotic (appearing blue-purple). Fire Department personnel arrived around 3:31 a.m. and continued efforts until they departed with Aaron to the hospital.”
Bonin was rushed to UC San Diego Medical Center, where he was admitted in critical condition. Medical records show he had suffered cardiac arrest and had been unconscious for 10 minutes before deputies initiated CPR, the lawsuit says.
He died a week later, on Nov. 1, 2022.
In announcing the death last year, Sheriff’s Department officials acknowledged they were aware of Bonin’s medical history.
“While in custody, Mr. Bonin was evaluated and treated for several documented medical and mental health concerns, which were identified upon his transfer from Patton State Hospital,” the release said. “Sheriff medical staff referred him to local hospitals multiple times for acute care.”
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has been repeatedly sued for negligence, excessive force and other allegations committed by deputies and jail medical staff.
The county has paid more than $60 million to resolve sheriff-related litigation since 2017, records show. The settlements and jury awards are paid out of the public treasury because the county is self-insured.
