In June, the Santa Cruz County Grand Jury released its report on the death of 23-year-old mother Krista DeLuca, who died in the main jail on September 29, 2015. Shortly after the release of the Grand Jury report, DeLuca's family filed a civil lawsuit against the County of Santa Cruz. Besides the County, the lawsuit lists as defendants the Sheriff's Office, Sheriff-Coroner Jim Hart, Under-Sheriff Jeremy Verinsky, Chief Deputy Jeff March, Lieutenant Kelly Kent, and California Forensic Medical Group, Inc. (CFMG), as well as a list of unspecified "John Does".

The Grand Jury report calls for a new independent contractor to oversee medical services at the main jail, and despite its multiple recommendations for major changes to jail policies and procedures, the county responded by indicating they still planned to renew their contract with CFMG. In August, the Santa Cruz-based organization Sin Barras called for the County Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff’s Office to take action and to implement the Grand Jury’s recommendations.

"For the third consecutive term, the Grand Jury is compelled to investigate yet another death at the Main Jail. There have been six deaths since October 2012," the Grand Jury report begins.

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See Also: Sin Barras Issues Letter Concerning Medical Care at the Santa Cruz Jail

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