Joseph Rose
Joseph Rose, 48, was held at the Santa Barbara County Jail for about 14 months while his court dates were repeatedly delayed. He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had a history of suicidal thoughts, and he told staff he would kill himself unless he was housed alone. According to a Santa Barbara County Grand Jury report, his threats were not passed on to a supervisor and he was not promptly moved to a safety cell, and he hanged himself in June 2019 before a move could happen. The Grand Jury's findings are the basis for these failures of care; the report's details are attributed to it here.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (neglect alleged). The Santa Barbara County Grand Jury says Joseph Rose hanged himself after threatening suicide, and that his threats were not reported to a supervisor and he was not promptly moved to a safety cell.
Reported by: Santa Barbara County Grand Jury (outside investigators).