December 2, 2020 Covid-19 Outbreak Reported at Santa Clara County Juvenile Detention Facilities By Michael Moore The outbreak is the first detected transmission of the virus in the county’s juvenile facilities since the pandemic began in March. Read More 2
November 18, 2020 Santa Clara County Trades Jail Plans for Mental Health Facility By Jana Kadah, Bay City News In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors reinforced its commitment to build a new mental health facility. Read More 7
July 7, 2020 Santa Clara Co. Jail Deputy Arrested on Suspicion of Smuggling Meth to Inmates By Silicon Valley Newsroom Mayra Rios, a 35-year-old Antioch resident and correctional deputy, is being held in lieu of a $1 million bail at the Main Jail. Read More 5
June 12, 2020 SJPD Accused of Unlawfully Jailing Local Author, Activist By Jennifer Wadsworth Dr. Sharat Lin—president of the San Jose Peace and Justice Center—was jailed on what he says should have been a cite-and-release charge. Read More 47
November 20, 2019 Ex-Jail Captain Sues Santa Clara Co. Sheriff’s Office for Alleged Discrimination, Harassment By Jennifer Wadsworth Former jail captain Amy Le says the Sheriff’s Office used a gazebo project she oversaw at Elmwood as a pretext for her dismissal. Read More 6
October 24, 2019 Audit Shows Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Internal Accountability Reforms Stalled for Years By Jennifer Wadsworth Auditors say the Sheriff’s Office refused to cooperate with reviews that unearthed unsettling findings about internal accountability. Read More 6
June 5, 2019 Santa Clara County Inmate Dies in Custody at Valley Medical Center By Silicon Valley Newsroom Sheriff’s officials will investigate the death with the DA and Medical Examiner-Coroner, which reported no signs of foul play. Read More 3
June 5, 2019 Santa Clara County Corrections Capt. Amy Le Put on Paid Leave By The Fly The veteran law enforcement officials was accused of wrongdoing, stripped of her badge and escorted off the job Friday. Read More 10
April 25, 2019 Bitcoin Bandit Sentenced to a Decade Behind Bars in Nation’s First SIM-Swap Conviction By Jennifer Wadsworth Joel Ortiz’s conviction for stealing millions of dollars through a SIM-swapping digital cash heist marked the first of its kind in the U.S. Read More 5
November 14, 2018 Santa Clara County Settles Lawsuit Over Jail Conditions for Physically Disabled Inmates By Jennifer Wadsworth This marks the second consent decree imposed on the county jail system—the fifth largest in California—since last month. Read More 2
October 1, 2018 Santa Clara County Pays $365K to Settle Excessive-Force Case By Jennifer Wadsworth Santa Clara County has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by former inmate Rikki Martinez, who says he was brutally beaten by jail guards. Read More 1
April 27, 2018 VIDEO: Santa Clara County Inmates Call Off Hunger Strike By Silicon Valley Newsroom Santa Clara County inmates broke their fast on Thursday, claiming a “small victory” after jail officials agreed to address some of their demands. Read More 1
March 28, 2018 ICE ‘Mistakenly’ Allowed Into Santa Clara Co. Jails, Sheriff Says By Jennifer Wadsworth The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office violated state and local sanctuary policies by allowing federal immigration agents to interview inmates. Read More 9
January 12, 2018 Santa Clara County Inmate Accused of Raping a Child Found Dead in Apparent Suicide By Jennifer Wadsworth A Santa Clara County inmate died in custody early Thursday by what officials are calling an apparent suicide. Read More 5
January 10, 2018 Lawsuit: Jail Official’s Conflict of Interest Undermines Santa Clara County Inmate Grievances By Jennifer Wadsworth Inmates and their advocates call Santa Clara County’s jail grievance system unfair because of an official’s alleged conflict of interest. Read More 1
August 24, 2017 Activists Protest Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Taser Request By Jennifer Wadsworth Activists rallied today to protest plans by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to arm jail and patrol deputies with Tasers. Read More 9