San Diego sheriff’s deputies failed to take reasonable measures to protect a low-level sex offender when they put him in a jail cell with a high-level violent offender, the county’s civilian oversight board has ruled.
The low-level sex offender, a 56-year-old man named Derek Thomas Baker who was sent to jail for failing to properly register, was beaten to death in March 2022 after he was housed alongside Patrick Ferncase, who had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with force and elder abuse.
From what I’ve read, it appears that this board’s function is to agree with the public and shrug their shoulders saying, “Yeah, LE was wrong, but nothing we can do but complain until the next one.”
I could live to be 600 and still never understand the point of establishing a board like this without giving them the authority to do anything regarding their findings.
In California a FTR charge is also a possible death sentence.
I personally hope the sheriff’s department is sued in a civil lawsuit for wrongful death among other things and is nearly bankrupted in their settlement with the family and maybe even more families if it can turn into a class action suit.
How is it that this isn’t more ammunition to shut down the registries? Just how much evidence is needed that the registries are a complete waste and bring more harm than good? What’s going on that these murders and acts of vigilantes aren’t all compiled together and taken to the Supreme Court to stop this insanity? Oh well, I’m just one voice and not a loud enough one at that. Emily Horrowitz or Janet should have all this information to give to a stunning lawyer who could petition the Court for a review of the entire registry scheme. But thus far nothing. Why? I don’t think it’s because they aren’t trying, but what is it going to take to get some action on this? Halloween will be here soon enough and yet again there isn’t anything stopping this madness. Every year I think the same thing, the same headlines the same fight the same misuse of the system by people out for vengeance thinking they’re so noble and just. I guess this man dying in a prison cell over an FTR charge was absolutely completely 1000% in vain and don’t worry, the registry wasn’t punishment for him, and no… Noone will do anything about it.
They do the same in Orange County. When in the loop on a violation they put me in a cell with a guy being held for a triple homicide and gang ties. Turns out I knew his cousin from when I was in the Fed’s and he was super cool with me. They won’t go as far as telling them what your there for, they think your going to be dumb enough to hang yourself and tell dude why your there. This is what happens when they cops get their way
Maybe I’m just being cynical…but I don’t, for a minute, believe that this sort of thing is ever an “accident”. When a person with a non-violent, low-level offense is placed in a cell with a mindless, ticking time bomb, that is purely intentional. It’s an arranged, expedient “execution” to satiate the bloodlust of all involved. This is just how the system operates…and nothing is going to change so long as the majority of the individuals on the registry continue to be “soft targets”. Expect many more articles just like this one in the near future…
Failure to register, so that was a death sentence. Once again the registry failed.
How are we to know that the “accidental misplacing” of Derek Thomas Baker with Patrick Ferncase wasn’t an intentional, premeditated act?
By the article, it seems like the victim being PFR was incidental and not the cause for this murder. A person accused of murder shouldn’t be housed with anyone in these early stages of prosecution. People don’t tend to come down until post sentencing
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has a horrible history of deaths in their jail system. Two weeks ago, the county settled a 15-million-dollar civil action for a death which now totals over 75 million in losses due to lawsuits to the county during the last five years. Since the county is self-insured, the taxpayers are impacted. There is a gang in the PC modules called the “Green Lighters” who have people on the outside that check convictions by calling in to the jail recorded phone system or checking online. If a person has a sensitive charge, he is beat up and must go into solitary confinement.
All the actions in the world won’t bring this man back to life. And the guy that took it won’t face anything more than he’s already facing for his other offenses. Jail personnel are worthless when it comes to doing their jobs. Most aren’t any better than the scum in jail for actual crimes. FTR should be a fine , like Germany , Spain and most of Europe has. We are so majorly draconian in our treatment of sex offense related infractions.
Oh no! I live 15 ft too close to a daycare 4 blocks away! Oh no! I was 1 day late in filling out some crappy piece of info that hasn’t changed in 14 yrs! Oh no! I had sat in a shady park with a play ground in 105* weather and no one else was there! So now I have to go to jail for 6 months. What a joke!
NEWS ALERT
Another person died in the San Diego jail system two days ago, June 15. You can Google the news article
Let’s look at the facts!
In 2021, state officials released an audit reporting that 185 people died in Sheriff’s Department jail custody between 2006 and 2020 — the highest death rate among large California counties. Thirteen people died while incarcerated in the San Diego County jail system in 2023. TRAGIC!