A 51-year-old man died while in the custody of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), prompting an ongoing investigation by the police force. The man, Derrick Harden, a resident of Gardena, had been booked into the 77th Street Jail for two outstanding warrants and possession of a substance that resembled methamphetamine.
On July 14, plainclothes narcotics detectives from LAPD’s 77th Street Division detained Harden near the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 71st Street. Upon investigation, they found Harden in possession of what appeared to be methamphetamine and discovered his outstanding warrants.
Following his booking into the 77th Street Jail, Harden was examined by the facility’s medical staff around 5:30 p.m. The medical staff determined that Harden required medical treatment for exposure to meth and a preexisting condition, and he was taken to a local hospital. Emergency room physicians at the hospital medically cleared Harden for booking.
Later, just after midnight on July 15, Harden was returned to the 77th Street Jail and placed in a single-person cell. Video footage released by the LAPD shows Harden getting out of a bunk bed and moving toward the cell’s toilet before collapsing and falling to the floor. Jail personnel discovered him and attempted life-saving measures for over 45 minutes. Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived on the scene but ultimately declared him dead.
According to the LAPD, any death of a person in the department’s custody is defined as a “Categorical Use of Force,” and the LAPD’s Force Investigation Division has taken over the investigation. An autopsy by the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner preliminarily attributed Harden’s death to his pre-existing condition, with a toxicology report still pending.
This incident serves as a somber reminder of the grave responsibilities and challenges law enforcement agencies face in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those in their custody.