Family sues San Diego County Sheriff's Office after inmate's death
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The parents of a young man who died while in custody at San Diego's Central Jail have filed a lawsuit against San Diego County and its sheriff, Kelly Martinez.
Dan Yates and Andrea Carrier are suing the County of San Diego and Martinez for the wrongful death of their son, Brandon Yates, on Jan. 16, 2024. Other accusations in the lawsuit include negligence and 'failure to properly train, supervise and discipline' their deputies.
On Jan. 15, 2024, Yates, 24, was arrested on suspicion of burglary, booked into jail and placed in a cell with another inmate, Alvin McDonald Ruis.
Soon after, authorities said Ruis, 36, beat and tortured Yates. Ruis had a history of aggressive behavior and had been declared 'a danger to himself and others' on numerous occasions while in custody, according to the complaint.
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'Within minutes of being moved into Ruis's cell, Brandon and Ruis began having a conversation about God. That conversation quickly became contentious, and Ruis decided Brandon was the devil,' the lawsuit stated.
His actions were a result of 'psychotic delusions that he was doing the will of God in killing Brandon,' said Eugene Iredale, an attorney for Yates' parents, at a press conference on Tuesday.
According to the lawsuit, Yates pushed the panic button in his cell multiple times to call for help, telling deputies in the control tower to save his life and that he was going to be killed.
'In the approximately 60-minute time period after Brandon had been placed unmonitored in Ruis' cell, Brandon was heard screaming for help,' the complaint stated.
The lawsuit alleged the control tower deputies either ignored his pleas for help or put the intercom on 'bypass.'
The lawsuit described Ruis beating and choking Yates until he was unconscious. When he saw he was still alive, Ruis poured liquid soap into his nose and mouth and smothered him with a blanket, the complaint said.
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He then proceeded to strip him of his clothing and was attempting to tie his neck to a metal stool inside the cell when deputies finally arrived to do their hourly cell check, the complaint stated.
'No one came as Brandon was being tortured, stripped naked, bound, sexually assaulted and murdered,' attorneys for Yates' family said.
Yates' cause of death was declared as 'asphyxiation consistent with manual and ligature strangulation and smothering.'
Ruis was originally arrested by Chula Vista Police on Dec. 27, 2023 for various charges including domestic violence, willful cruelty to a child, stalking and others.
The complaint by Yates' family and attorneys said he had a history of threatening cell mates and had even once assaulted a deputy. He was a 'bypass inmate' who was not allowed to be housed with others in his cell or have yard time.
'It is an obligation under the law and the Constitution of the United States for jail officials to be cognizant of danger and to protect those who cannot protect themselves,' said Iredale.
Now Yates' family is seeking answers and accountability, and hopes their actions will lead to systemic change.
FOX 5/KUSI's Juliette Vara contributed to this report. Watch her full report above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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