Forty-six-year-old Jose Fernandez-Moreno, the inmate found unconscious inside the Humboldt County jail last Friday, March 8, with a bed sheet tied around his neck, died yesterday at St. Joseph’s Hospital. (See Sheriff’s news release, below).
This is the second suicide (and second death) at the jail this year. On Jan. 17, a 56-year-old male inmate jumped to his death inside the housing unit.
There were two in-custody deaths last year in the jail, says Sheriff’s Sgt. Duane Christian. One was deemed to be from medical complications; the other has not been declared yet, said Christian, because the coroner’s office has not released an official report yet.
Since 2000, 16 inmates have died at the jail.
The latest suicide is still being investigated.
News release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Friday March 08, 2013 at about 7:00 p.m. a Humboldt County Correctional Officer, while on a routine security check within a housing unit, found inmate Jose Fernandez-Moreno, a 46 year old male, unconscious with a bed sheet tied around his neck. Correctional Officers and facility medical staff immediately began life saving efforts which resulted in successfully regaining a pulse. Personnel from the Eureka Fire Department and City Ambulance responded and assisted in transporting Fernandez-Moreno to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he was admitted. Fernandez-Moreno was placed on life support after his condition worsened.
On Monday March 11, 2013 at 6:23 pm Fernandez-Moreno died as a result of his suicide attempt.
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing their involvement in the investigation which has been turned over to the Humboldt County Coroners Office. An autopsy date is pending. Fernando-Moreno was in custody on charges of Assault with Intent to Commit Rape, Rape by Force/Violence/Duress, and Penetration by Foreign Object, his bail was set at $250,000. Fernandez-Moreno was also being held on a detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.Mike Downey, Sheriff
This article appears in Unleashed.
No loss there. Actually saved the tax payers alot of money, probably the most decent thing he’s done.
Just a wet back Mexican, who cares.
The Journal should probably take the racist, gnarly comments of the blog here.
Also, there is no such thing as a person being “held on a detainer issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE].” ICE “holds” are merely REQUESTS. The local cops, sheriff and judges misrepresent what ICE holds are.
Federal courts, state and county counsels, and ICE itself confirm that civil immigration detainers are voluntary. “A[n immigration] detainer is not a criminal warrant, but rather a voluntary request…” Buquer v. City of Indianapolis, 797 F. Supp. 2d 905, 911 (S.D. Ind. 2011) (“A detainer is . . . a voluntary request”).
ICE and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have described ICE Holds to Congress as “request[s]” that local governments “are not mandated to honor” and have acknowledged that “[t]here is no penalty if [jurisdictions] don’t comply. ICE 2010FOIA2674.017695 at 017695-96 (January 2011 DHS/ICE response to questions about detainers). ICE 2010FOIA2674.020610 at 020612 (notes from October 2010 ICE briefing to Congressional Hispanic Caucus where agency acknowledged that “Local LE [law enforcement] are not mandated to honor a[n ICE] detainer, and in some jurisdictions they do not.”). ICE 2010FOIA2674.017695 at 017695-96. See also ICE 2010FOIA2674.0124742 (ICE Principal Legal Advisor Peter Vincent describing his Feb. 2011 message to New York City officials).