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San Diego County agrees to pay $3.5M over 2018 jail death

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AP
This image provided by the Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center shows part of the interior of the building in Staunton, Va. (Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center via AP)
Jail Cell
Posted at 4:02 PM, Apr 05, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-05 19:02:30-04

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego County will pay $3.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a mentally ill man who died after deputies tried to forcefully remove him from a jail cell.

The Union-Tribune says it’s the largest settlement for an in-custody fatality in the county jail system.

Paul Silva was jailed after his mother called police because he was experiencing a psychotic episode. The suit says deputies used a stun gun and held him down using a body shield while trying to extract him from a cell. He died at a hospital.

The family sued after prosecutors found no crime had been committed by deputies.

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