#SanDiego Sheriff Accountability Update
March 2026
CW for Violence/SA/Suicide
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In Custody Deaths
34yo Grant PARKER is the second person to die in custody this year; Parker appears to have died by suicide
45yo Drahkee HOUSE is the third person to die in custody this year; House fainted during the day, was later found in medical distress and died at the hospital
1/5
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Lawsuits
The Abdul KAMARA in-custody death lawsuit can move forward. Kamara died in March 2024 when deputies placed him in a full body restraint device. The judge ruled that there is enough evidence for a trial related the SD Sheriff's Office practice of taking people in crisis to jail instead of to the hospital
2/5
Lawsuits cont.
The Eric VAN TINE death lawsuit can move forward. VAN TINE died in 2024 from complications of being tortured by a fellow inmate. The judge ruled that there is enough evidence for a trial related to SDSO cell assignment and safety check policies
Former SDSO deputy Aaron RUSSELL was found guilty of violating the civil rights of Nicholas BILS. Russell killed BILS as the unarmed man was running away after escaping a law enforcement vehicle in 2020
3/5
Lawsuits cont.
Russell, currently out on bond, is expected to be sentenced in May
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Miscellaneous
After consolidating medical services and billing under provider Naphcare in 2022, SDSO received Board of Supervisors approval to contract with AmeriChoice, a separate medical billing company, due to rising costs. The Board denied a $13.8M payment to Naphcare for related cost overruns
4/5
Miscellaneous
SDSO failed to investigate at least 7 sexual assaults at the Otay Mesa immigration detention center in 2025; Sheriff Martinez says she will not investigate complaints at the facility going forward despite its location within San Diego County
The number of people transferred from San Diego County jails directly to ICE tripled in 2025 despite a County policy adopted in late 2024 limiting such cooperation
SDSO adopted an AI system to answer non-emergency calls
5/5
InarticulateQuilter