San Diego Jury to Probe Alleged Brutality in Jails

The San Diego County Grand Jury decided Thursday to formally investigate widespread charges of inmates being assaulted by sheriff’s deputies inside the six San Diego County jails.

In a terse, one-line letter to Sheriff John Duffy, the grand jury accepted his request that it begin examining ongoing allegations that inmates have been beaten and denied medical care, that female inmates have been stripped and chained naked in the jails and that two reported suicides in the Las Colinas jail actually may have been murders.

“The 1987-88 San Diego County Grand Jury, in response to your request of June 1, 1988, will undertake an investigation of alleged excessive force by jail deputies,” read the letter, signed by grand jury Foreman Edward C. Malone.

Extensive Exposure

Duffy, in a statement released Thursday night by a spokeswoman, expressed pleasure that the panel would be reviewing the allegations that for the last six weeks have received extensive media exposure.

“His (Duffy’s) position is that he’s delighted,” said Sgt. Liz Foster. “He’s very pleased. After all, he did request that the grand jury investigate the alleged beatings in the jail and he’s extremely pleased that they’ve decided to do so.”

The announcement came after jurors met in a three-hour, closed-door session. It also comes at the same time that the FBI, the U.S. attorney’s office and the local American Civil Liberties Union are conducting separate investigations into concerns that deputies are brutalizing inmates.

But it remained unclear Thursday night exactly what form the county grand jury investigation will take.

Term Ends

The current panel’s term ends when a new jury, whose members are to be chosen Monday, is impaneled on July 1. Malone could not be reached to clear up how the investigation will be conducted.

Duffy, in his request for the independent review, suggested three alternatives: That the current grand jury extend its term to accommodate the jail investigation; that Malone ask the new panel to conduct the probe, or that Malone attempt to conduct the investigation in the final four weeks of the current panel’s term.

Malone turned down a request in early April to investigate the controversial San Diego city police shooting of Tommie Dubose because he did not believe that the grand jury had enough time to adequately investigate the case before its term ended.

Also Requested Review

County Supervisor Susan Golding, who also requested a grand jury review of the jail matter, said Thursday that she did not care which form the investigation might take.

“I don’t really care how it’s done by the grand jury, as long as it is done,” she said. “But I’m certainly in favor of getting started as soon as possible.