 |
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Two former Kern County Sheriff‘s detention deputies are behind bars serving their sentences for the beating death of an inmate over four years ago.
In August of 2005, James Moore died after a fight with deputies at the downtown jail.
Officers, at the time, said he became combative while being booked. But the Kern County District Attorney contended the fatal blows came while Moore was restrained on a gurney.
On Sept. 3, 2009, detention deputies Daniel Lindini and Ralph Contreras turned down plea deals in the case, according to Roxanne Fowler‘s attorney David Anthony Torres. Torres said Contreras was offered a charge of voluntary manslaughter with a maximum 11 years in prison. Torres said Lindini was offered a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and faced a maximum four years in prison.
Torres said then that he wanted a dismissal for his client, Fowler, because “this is not justice, this is politics. Justice should not be directed by politics, that is truly what this is in this situation.”
In August of 2005, Lindini, Contreras and Fowler all pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder as well as assault under the color of authority.
Detention deputies Angel Bravo and Lisa Romero were also charged in the case but already took plea offers from prosecutors more than three years ago.
The crimes took place at the Central Receiving Facility at the Downtown Jail on Aug. 15, 2005.
Contreras received the verdict of second-degree murder and assault by a public officer in October 2009.
The judge denied his lawyer’s motion for a new trial in his case Tuesday morning and sentenced Contreras to 15 years to life.
Lindini was convicted Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter and assault by a public officer
Lindini was sentenced to two years in prison.
- Aug. 23, 2005: Inmate Death Ruled A Homicide
- Dec. 1, 2005: Sheriff’s Detention Deputies Arrested On Murder Charges
- Dec. 5, 2005: Detention Deputies Accused Of Beating Appear In Court
- Dec. 7, 2005: Detention Deputies Out Of Jail On Bail
- Dec. 14, 2005: New Details Released On Beating Death
- Dec. 15, 2005: Detention Deputies Plead Not Guilty To Murder, Assault
- Dec. 20, 2005: Detention Deputies May Face Numerous Civil Lawsuits
- Jan. 5, 2006: Official Speaks Out About Downtown Jail Death
- Feb. 22, 2006: Inmate Beating Detention Deputy Accepts Plea Deal
- April 17, 2006: Detention Deputy Takes Plea In Beating Death Case
- April 18, 2006: Deputy Testifies He Witnessed Excessive Force Against Moore
- April 19, 2006: Testimony Conintues In Trial Against Detention Deputies
Watch Video - Oct. 3, 2006: Murder Charges Against Deputies May Be Dropped Watch Video
- Dec. 7, 2006: Detentions Deputy Case Will Not Be Thrown Out
- Sept. 28, 2007: New Trial Date For Detention Deputies Accused In Beating Death
- April 14, 2009: County Settles For $6 Million In Jail Death Lawsuit Watch Video
- May 1, 2009: Bench Warrant Issued For Deputy Charged With Killing Inmate Watch Video
- Sept. 14, 2009: Detention Deputy Takes Plea Deal To Inmate Beating Death Charges
- Oct. 29, 2009: Detention Deputies Found Guilty Of Beating Death Charges
Filed under: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Information, Prison Industrial Complex Tagged: | Angel Bravo, Daniel Lindini, David Anthony Torres, James Moore, Kern County, Kern County District Attorney, Kern County Sheriff's Office, Lisa Romero, prisons, racism, Ralph Contreras, Roxanne Fowler
