San Diego County settles Elisa Serna jail death lawsuit for $15 million, and limited federal oversight

Paloma Serna, holds up a sign of her daughter, Elisa Serna, who died in jail in 2019, during a vigil and rally

Iredale & Yoo were the attorneys representing the family of Elisa Serna, a 24-year-old woman who died in custody in 2019. The lawyers called the settlement a landmark resolution that will drive the Sheriff’s Department to do better going forward.

Importantly, the settlement allows the San Diego federal judge who oversaw the litigation to monitor the Sheriff’s Department’s compliance with its agreement for the next 12 months. This is believed to be the first time the elected sheriff will be under formal U.S. government oversight

“Elisa Serna died in an isolation cell in the Medical Observation Unit, where she received neither observation nor medical treatment,” said attorney Eugene Iredale. “She died on the floor after a nurse and a deputy witnessed her fall and seizure. Her family resolved to fight her case to insure that inmate patients would not be deliberately ignored and left to die as she was.”

Iredale law partner Julia Yoo credited the Serna family for managing a difficult struggle.

“We are hopeful that these policy changes will start a path towards more compassionate treatment of all people in custody,” she said.

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