With the parents of dead inmate Joseph Duran looking on, a federal judge Thursday agreed to reopen the explosive issue of whether California prison officials use excessive force – including pepper spray – against mentally ill inmates.
U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton’s decision came on the heels of the state’s disclosure that it has launched “disciplinary” investigations into the death of Duran, a 35-year-old mentally ill inmate who was pepper sprayed in his cell Sept. 6, because he would not let go of the food port in his cell door.