Santa Rita Inmate Died After Staff 'Neglect': Lawsuit

DUBLIN, CA — Santa Rita Jail staff let an inmate lay face down in his own bodily fluids, unresponsive, for at least three days until his death, alleges a federal lawsuit filed against the jail and its private healthcare contractor.

Maurice Monk, who died on November 15, 2021 at age 45, was in jail for just over a month after he couldn’t pay the $2,500 bail for missing a court date for the misdemeanor of arguing with a bus driver about wearing a mask, according to the suit. Over the next 34 days, the jail’s staff failed to provide Monk with medications and basic medical care, and his health “rapidly deteriorated.”

During his final week, Monk stopped eating, taking medication, drinking water, responding, or moving, the suit alleges. For three days, jail and medical staff observed Monk lying face down on his bunk, naked, covered in feces, according to bodycam footage obtained by attorneys representing Monk’s family.

One inmate who helped distribute meals reportedly asked deputies, “Are we just waiting for him to kick the bucket?” The employee also expressed concern about Monk to higher-ups at least two more times, and they did not act. Monk's sister also repeatedly contacted the jail to tell them about her brother’s medication, but staff allegedly ignored her and subjected her to “a series of frustrating bureaucratic processes that led to no results,” according to the suit.

Staff responsible for Monk’s section of the jail are required to conduct wellness checks every 30 minutes, but body cameras and internal affairs investigations from the ACSO revealed that staff forged wellness check timelines and medical compliance logs, according to the suit. In the final three days, jail and medical staff allegedly never called a doctor, took his vitals, or roused him to make sure he was alright. When staff finally intervened, he had developed bed sores, and the logo of his t-shirt stained into the bedsheet.

“They literally did nothing more than stare at him and throw food and medications into his cell like he was an animal in a pen at the zoo. Despite the obvious crisis, not a single guard or nurse thought enough about Mr. Monk to call for help,” attorney Adanté Pointer said in a statement.

A representative from the jail declined to comment to Patch, citing ongoing litigation. Santa Rita Jail has denied allegations that Monk did not receive his medications, according to the answers section of the lawsuit. Wellpath Community Care, the private medical services contractor at the jail who are also named as defendants, denied the allegations, according to court papers.

In July 2022, a civil grand jury investigation of Santa Rita Jail found that safety violations, inadequate medical services, and poor sanitation require “urgent attention.” In March 2022, a federal judge placed the jail under court supervision for at least six years following a class-action lawsuit. A county spokesperson told The Independent in July 2023 that staff are working toward “substantial compliance” with the judge’s court order.