An investigation by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s office says there was no wrongdoing by sheriff’s deputies in the death of a county jail inmate.
Johnathan Paul Thomas died January 12 in custody at the main Santa Barbara County Jail. The 45-year-old man had been arrested on domestic violence charges by Santa Maria Police. After being medically cleared at a hospital, he was taken to jail.
Deputies say Thomas admitted he was suicidal. They put him in a safety cell, but say the 300 pound man didn’t cooperate. When he refused to remove his clothing as a safety measure, four deputies did it forcibly as he struggled.
They then left him in the cell and watched him. Six minutes later, he stopped moving. They started CPR, but he was pronounced dead. An autopsy showed he died of a cardiac event linked to obesity, heart issues, methamphetamine, as well as active resistance and restraint. The coroner ruled the death to be accidental.
