Maxwell Aguirre was being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in September 2023 when he died. He was 22.
The parents of the Air Force veteran held a news conference Thursday, demanding justice.
"There is no justice," said Aguirre's father, Omar Aguirre, who spoke at the news conference. "If there's an allegation against you, if there's a possibility that you might end up in custody, your life is at risk."
The family's attorneys said deputies falsified mandatory jail checks, a practice known as "burning checks" at the time of Aguirre's death.
"They effectively falsified a government record saying that they're going to do a mandated duty that's required in the state of California and then they don't do it," said family attorney Denisse Gastelum. "Instead of conducting these Title 15 security checks to make sure that folks aren't getting killed in their jails, folks aren't overdosing in their jails, folks aren't getting raped in their jails, or killing themselves via asphyxiation, they were watching YouTube videos."
A clinician whistleblower came forward with the allegations.
Attorneys say video footage shows that deputies did not check on Aguirre, despite what was logged. The family is now calling on Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman to criminally charge the deputies.
They're also calling for the state to revoke the deputies' peace officer certification.
"Look at the evidence we have acquired in Maxwell's death, and look into the, specifically, the customs and practices of burning checks," said Gastelum.
Attorneys confirmed Aguirre was facing manslaughter charges at the time, but they say that doesn't justify what happened.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has not commented on the allegations.
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