Los Angeles and Southern California; tomorrow, March 30th starting at 11am PT, the community needs your action to help demand that the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors close Men’s Central Jail. Despite several County reports and votes committing to “Care First-Jails Last,” the five members of the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors have failed to deliver on their promise to the community. Worse, they plan to approve 1.2 million in community tax dollars THIS budget cycle to go towards ANOTHER JAIL.
Seventeen years ago on March 30th 2009, John Horton III was killed inside Men’s Central Jail by LASD gang members of the ‘3000 Boys’. His death became a focal point for allegations of systemic abuse by “deputy gangs” within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Horton, held on low-level, nonviolent drug charges and awaiting transfer to a firefighting program to serve a two-year sentence, was found dead in his solitary cell.
Horton’s death was originally labeled a suicide, but is family, led by his mother Helen Jones, challenged the suicide ruling. They presented photos showing visible bruises, scars, and a puncture wound on his face and head. Autopsy reports eventually noted internal trauma, including fresh hemorrhaging in his liver, kidneys, and back muscles, which experts stated would have made it impossible for him to even walk, much less hang himself. An investigation by the Office of Independent Review (OIR) revealed that deputies failed to perform required welfare checks. At least 10 deputies were found to have systematically faked surveillance logs by scanning fraudulent bar codes.
In 2017, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $2 million to Helen Jones to settle a wrongful death lawsuit. Every year on the anniversary of Horton’s death, activists hold rallies to demand the reopening of his investigation and a firm timeline for the closing of the Men’s Central Jail. Men’s Central Jail is Los Angeles’ largest and oldest jail facility, and it continues to harbor deputy gangs within its walls and harm loved ones inside.
Five years ago on March 30th, 2021, LA County produced the Men’s Central Jail Closure Report which outlined how to close the jail in 18-24 months. Five years later the County has NOT taken ANY steps to effectively close MCJ.
The community can’t afford to wait any longer while the Board drags its feet on closing Men’s Central Jails and holding LASD accountable for the lives lost in-custody. This is life or death.
The demands for the Jail Closure Implementation Team and the Board of Supervisors are as follows:
- Provide a REAL timeline, with benchmarks for the closure of Men’s Central Jail.
- NO FUNDING for research, planning, or building a new jail- that money belongs to the community.
- Reopen the investigation of John Horton III’s death.
PLEASE JOIN US AND SPREAD THE WORD!
WHEN: MONDAY, March 30, 2026 at 11 AM PT
WHERE: Corner of W. Temple Street and Grand Ave, Downtown Los Angeles
