David Anthony Cross
David Anthony Cross was a plumber born and raised in Santa Cruz who worked in his father's plumbing business and was a member of Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local #62 for nearly twenty years. His family described him as "a very sensitive man with a soft heart," and people remembered him as an animal lover. He was held in the Santa Cruz County jail in September 2005 after he began experiencing anxiety. According to the Indybay article, officers restrained him, including with a TASER, medication and a restraint chair, and he died after being held down for several minutes. The county and sheriff's office agreed in 2008 to pay his family $3 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed; neglect alleged). Indybay and his family's wrongful death lawsuit say deputies restrained him with a Taser and a restraining chair and held him down for several minutes until he died, and the lawsuit says staff failed to get him proper care after he began having anxiety; the county settled the lawsuit for $3 million in 2008.
Reported by: Indybay (reporters); his family's wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Santa Cruz County and the sheriff's office, which agreed in 2008 to pay $3 million to settle the wrongful death lawsuit.