Rodney J. DeLong Jr.
Rodney J. DeLong Jr., 28, was held at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, California, and died there on May 6, 2018. According to a federal lawsuit filed by his mother, Anjanette DeLong, he was moved into a shared cell as part of a cell-compaction process and was stabbed to death by his cellmate about 32 minutes later. The lawsuit says he should never have been placed with that cellmate, whom it describes as a gang member, and that staff did not remove him in time to save him. The lawsuit's claims are his mother's allegations and have not been decided.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). His mother's federal lawsuit says prison staff placed him with a cellmate they should not have, and did not remove him in time to save him, after he was stabbed to death by that cellmate.
Reported by: his mother, Anjanette DeLong, in a federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His mother filed a federal lawsuit alleging that prison staff placed him in a shared cell with a cellmate who stabbed him to death at High Desert State Prison in 2018.