The family of a San Quentin State Prison inmate who died from COVID-19 has sued California corrections officials over their response to the pandemic.
The lawsuit alleges the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation acted with deliberate indifference by transferring about 120 high-risk inmates from a prison in Chino to San Quentin last May.
Daniel Ruiz, who was 61, had been expected to be released early but died in July after contracting COVID-19 while in prison.
"We want to find out how this happened, to make sure this kind of thing can't happen again, and of course the family is seeking accountability and justice as well," said Michael Haddad, the family’s attorney.
Haddad says he expects to file more lawsuits related to the prison transfer, the Sacramento Bee reports.
A spokesperson for CDCR said the department had yet to be served with the lawsuit and will evaluate the claims once it's received.