John Leo Hemmer
John Leo Hemmer, 48, of South Dakota, died on July 21, 2021, while held at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio, California. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said he was found injured during a morning safety check and that he died of significant traumatic injuries, and that his cellmate is a suspect in the homicide. His family's federal lawsuit says the cellmate beat him to death with a metal crutch, and that deputies did not check the cell for more than two hours and that surveillance cameras were malfunctioning. Riverside County agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle the case without admitting wrongdoing.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (neglect alleged). The sheriff's department says his cellmate is the suspect in a homicide investigation, and his family's federal lawsuit says he was beaten to death with a metal crutch by that cellmate while deputies did not check the cell for more than two hours and surveillance cameras were malfunctioning; Riverside County settled for $1.8 million without admitting wrongdoing.
Reported by: Riverside County Sheriff's Department (the agency that held him); his family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Riverside County in federal court over his death and the county agreed to pay $1.8 million to settle, without admitting wrongdoing.