Jury Awards $157,500 in Jail Hanging

The mother of a North Hollywood man who hanged himself in Los Angeles County Jail after he was arrested on suspicion of burglary was awarded $157,500 by a Los Angeles federal court jury Friday.

The five-man, one-woman jury found that the county should pay $150,000 to Josefina Cabrales, 60, of Panorama City, and that Sheriff’s Capt. Ronald Black should pay $7,500 because Sergio Alvarez, 26, had serious psychiatric problems and the county and Black were indifferent to the needs of inmates with suicidal tendencies.

Black was in charge of the men’s central jail on Jan. 3, 1984, when Alvarez hanged himself from a towel rack with an Ace Bandage in his solitary confinement cell.

Previous Suicide Attempt

Alvarez, a stained-glass artist and construction worker, had attempted to hang himself with strips of blanket two weeks before, but was discovered and was cut down. He was sent to a jail psychiatrist, but it was decided his suicide attempt had not been a serious one and he was returned to the general jail population.

After he was involved in a Christmas Eve jail brawl, he was put in isolation. His second suicide attempt succeeded.

Stephen Yagman, attorney for Cabrales, said when the suit was filed that Alvarez had been diagnosed as having schizophrenic traits, yet was returned to the general jail population where he got into the fight that landed him in solitary. During his final days in solitary, Yagman said, Alvarez repeatedly called for help, but was ignored.

Deputy County Counsel Kevin Brazile said he was “pretty certain” the county will appeal the verdict.