San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi To Fire Deputy Allegedly In Charge Of Organizing Inmate Jail Fights
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has announced disciplinary action stemming from last month's allegations that deputies in his department forced jail inmates to take part in "gladiator-style" fights.
According to Mirkarimi, a now-complete Internal Affairs investigation has given him enough evidence to take action against Deputy Scott Neu.
"Based upon the analysis of this investigation, this week I directed the service of a notice of intent to terminate to one of the four subject deputies in the Internal Affairs Unit investigation," he said.
Neu can appeal. He was the alleged ringleader of the staged fights at County Jail, in which it was alleged that inmates would be pitted against each other, with deputies betting on the results. San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who launched an investigation after an inmate's father alerted his son's public defender to the abuse March 12, called the actions "some of the most outrageous and troubling conduct" he had seen in decades.
Mirkarimi said the other three deputies allegedly involved in the scandal, who were on paid leave, are now back on non-prisoner contact duty pending further investigation.
Sheriff Mirkarimi also made a public plea to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee to fund body cameras for deputies as a way to improve transparency and accountability for the department.
"To advance into this modern age of community policing to me makes it more complete if it also extends into the prisons and jails," Mirkarimi said.
He is asking for $250,000 over the next two years to equip over 800 sheriff's deputies.