38-year-old man had history of mental illness and had been placed under conservatorship
Late last week, Vickie Lewis received a letter from her son, Jerrell Lacy. It was dated April 7 — four days before Lacy“A voice from the grave,” Lewis said Friday evening at a vigil for her son, held near the large gated entrance to the jail’s sally port.According to the Sheriff’s Department, on April 11, shortly after 11 a.m., Lacy was seen by jail medical staff after complaining of shortness of breath and chest pain.
A Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said Lacy had a history of “assaultive and violent behavior” and had attacked a deputy“Two deputies were treated at occupational health centers for injuries sustained as a result of Lacy’s attack,” spokeswoman Lt. Amber Baggs told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “Lacy was sent to Tri-City Medical Center
Lacy’s death comes amid growing scrutiny of the San Diego jail system. A state audit released February concluded that San Diego County jails lag in inmate care and safety, particularly for inmates with mental illness. The audit urged state lawmakers to intervene to force the Sheriff’s Department to make changes.
Lewis said her son had been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia in his late teens and he would occasionally act out, leading to an extensive criminalIn August 2021, Lacy was charged with grand theft auto and driving under the influence of an illicit substance.