In less than seven days, two men incarcerated at the Shasta County jail have died
Just days after the death of Michael Kennith Jorgenson, Jason Driskell was released from custody and died shortly thereafter in a local hospital, according to the Sheriff.
A pattern of death could be emerging at the Shasta County Jail, where just days apart, two incarcerated men were transported to the hospital and died.
On Nov. 2, the Shasta County Sheriff released a public statement indicating Jason Driskell died of “natural causes,” the news release said, but not before he was released from the purview of the sheriff because “[Driskell’s] medical condition outweighed the necessity to remain in custody.”
Asked if the county would be responsible for paying his medical bills after being released from custody, Tim Mapes, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, told Shasta Scout that “the reason he was released was to allow him to receive a higher level of care. Any billing related matters will be determined at a later time.”
Though he was technically no longer incarcerated, the sheriff posted the details of Driskell’s death on the county’s website, in compliance with AB 2761. California law defines an in-custody death as someone who dies while detained, arrested, en route to a police facility, incarcerated, or dies in a hospital while incarcerated.
The sheriff’s press release said that the Redding Police Department is conducting an investigation, that there is no suspicion of foul play, and that an autopsy is scheduled. If history is any precedent, this process may take months to complete.
Charges against Driskell were filed on Oct. 20 — less than two weeks before he died — for possession of hard drugs with prior counts. This charging pattern appears consistent with Prop. 36, which enhances certain drug–related charges from misdemeanors to felonies, though Shasta Scout was unable to confirm this with the Shasta County District Attorney.
Driskell is the fourth incarcerated person to die in Shasta County this year. He was 56.
Do you have information or a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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You mean those in mental crisis (drug addicts who commit crimes) have died in the jail? If only California provided funding for mental health, all this could have been avoided.
“A pattern of death could be emerging . . .”
Karma (def) Cause and Effect.