Overview: A Grand Jury report has revealed that Riverside County’s Larry D. Smith jail facility could have prevented the death of 24-year-old James Dennis Hirt on Christmas Day 2024, had staff followed established policies and procedures. The report also highlights issues with the county’s jail facilities, including a lack of adequate medical and mental health staff, which had previously been identified in a 2013 federal lawsuit. Meanwhile, Riverside County’s controversial sheriff, Chad Bianco, faces criticism for his management of county jails and faces a Civil Rights Pattern or Practice investigation by the Department of Justice.
S.E. Williams
24-year-old James Dennis Hirt died in Riverside County’s Larry D. Smith jail facility on Christmas Day 2024…