Elderly Man Dies in Jail Cell NR11317ne

Los Angeles:  A 61-year-old man dies in a jail cell for reasons that have not yet been determined.

The 61-year-old was arrested on July 5, 2011, by Topanga Area Narcotic Officers for Receiving Stolen Property.  No force was used during his arrest.  The 61-year-old was booked at the Van Nuys Jail pending a court appearance scheduled on July 7, 2011.

On the morning of July 7, 2011, the 61-year-old man was moved from his holding cell to a specific holding cell for arrestees going to court.  Later, during the court transfer process, he did not respond to a call to board the court bus.  A check of the holding cell was conducted and he was observed lying on a top bunk and was unresponsive to jail personnel.

Medical personnel from the in-house Jail Dispensary responded and immediately began Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).  Los Angeles Fire Department Paramedics were dispatched to the jail. Despite the medical intervention efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office responded to the jail and conducted a preliminary investigation.  No visible trauma was noted and his remains were transported to the Coroner’s Office where an autopsy will be conducted.

The 61-year-old’s name is being withheld until next of kin has been notified.

LAPD’s Force Investigation Division (FID) responded and are investigating the in-custody death.