The family of Conrad Madrid, who died in Tulare County jail, has filed a lawsuit against Tulare County.
The plaintiffs include Laura Madrid and Michael Madrid, both co-successors-in-interest to the deceased, and C.M., the minor child of the decedent. The suit alleges that jail personnel did not take adequate measures to prevent Madrid from allegedly committing suicide while in custody.
The lawsuit was filed on March 25 by attorneys John L. Burris, Benjamin Nisenbaum, and James Cook of the law firm Burris, Nisenbaum, Curry and Lacy LLP. The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
According to the complaint, Conrad Madrid had previously been detained at Tulare County Jail in August 2023 when he harmed himself and was placed on suicide watch. Madrid was again detained at the jail on Sept. 2, 2023. The plaintiffs allege that jail staff failed to take necessary precautions despite the allegedly known history of suicidal ideation.
The defendants in the case are Tulare County. The plaintiffs seek damages under federal law, the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, and under California common law.