Santa Ana : Congressman Asks for Inquiry Into Jail Death
A Norwalk congressman has asked the U. S. attorney’s office to investigate the death of a Santa Fe Springs man who was killed in County Jail four months ago.
Esteban E. Torres, a Democrat, asked for the investigation on behalf of the family of inmate Arthur Oviedo, who was killed Jan. 31 on the second-floor medical ward of the jail.
Jerry Thomas Pick, who shared a cell with Oviedo, has been charged with murder in the death of the 25-year-old inmate. Pick also is charged with murder in the death of another inmate, John Frank Wilcox, 71, on Jan. 17. Wilcox also was killed in the medical ward.
Sheriff-Coroner Brad Gates has ordered an internal investigation of the two deaths, and the county district attorney’s office is investigating whether there was any negligence by jail officials.
The U. S. attorney’s office investigated a series of County Jail deaths four years ago but concluded that there was no wrongdoing by Gates or anyone on his staff.
Pick has pleaded not guilty to the two murder charges.
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