U.S. Investigating 1998 Inmate Death After Video Shown

Federal authorities said Friday that they will examine the case of an Orange County jail inmate who died in custody three years ago to determine whether sheriff’s deputies violated his civil rights.

The case is now the subject of a civil lawsuit in which Gilbert Garcia’s family say deputies caused his death in June 1998 after his arrest on a drunk-driving warrant.

Sheriff’s officials have denied any wrongdoing and said they welcome FBI agents reviewing the circumstances surrounding the death.

“It’s important to let the truth come out in the investigation,” said sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino.

Amormino stressed that two previous investigations--one by the Sheriff’s Department and another by the district attorney’s office--concluded that Garcia suffered a fatal head injury before he was admitted to jail.

U.S. attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek said it was after news reports that his office asked the FBI to investigate the death.

Earlier this week, television stations aired grainy jailhouse surveillance footage showing Garcia confronted by deputies.

Garcia family attorneys said the footage, along with other evidence, proves the inmate was mistreated.

District attorney investigators concluded that Garcia showed symptoms of a head injury when he was booked into Orange County Jail on June 1, 1998.

He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.

An attorney in the civil case could not be reached for comment.

The federal investigation comes amid a flurry legal claims against the Sheriff’s Department alleging brutality in the jail.

In addition, the Orange County Grand Jury is probing allegations that at least two jail deputies beat an inmate in 1999.