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Vol. 64 No. 28 | Thursday, July 11, 2024
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Serving San Diego County’s African & African American Communities 64 Years
Wrongful Death of Elisa Serna Sets Precedent for Future In-Custody Death Cases
INSIDE
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE: WORLDBEAT’S “THREADS OF FREEDOM” SEE PAGE 9
The family of Elisa Serna has settled, but all eyes will be on the sheriffs office to see if they actually uphold their promise at addressing alarming in-custody death rates By Macy Meinhardt VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF WRITER The County of San Diego will pay $15 million to the family of Elisa Serna over her wrongful in-custody death in 2019, the largest payout ever made from an inmate death within the San Diego Sheriff ’s Department. “Yes, we have settled, but it is with a hard and heavy heart,” said Elisa’s father, Michael Serna in a statement on their settlement. San Diego is notoriously known for having one of the deadliest jail systems in the country.
Since 2006, 260 people have died while in San Diego custody, resulting in the county paying out $75 million in wrongful death suits over the years. The five year litigation in trying to find answers and justice for Elisa managed to shine a light on broader systemic changes that need to be made within the San Diego jail system. Included in the settlement is a list of six conditions the family notably fought hard for, creating an impact Elisa’s loved ones hope will help save future in-custody lives. Elisa Beatrice Serna grew up within the states
Elisa Serna, aged 24. PHOTO: Courtesy of The Serna Family
of Nevada and Southern California with her parents and five siblings. Her mom, Paloma Serna, describes a normal childhood for Elisa, with swim lessons, comic books, and learning how to ride a bike; noting her nurturing spirit and close bond with family. “She was like my partner for a long time,” Paloma says.
AUTHOR TRISHA R. THOMAS DEBUTS NOVEL SEE PAGE 8
See CASES page 2
Displaced San Diego Flood Victims: Where Are They Now? Six months out, city, county, and community groups focus on long term remedies for San Diegans affected by the January floods
By Macy Meinhardt VOICE & VIEWPOINT STAFF WRITER At its height, the Emergency Temporary Lodging Program, a patchwork effort by city, county, and community groups to support displaced flood victims, had sheltered and fed more than 2,200 San Diegans in nearly 900 households. The program expired on June 21st, raising the question—what happens now? Aid for flood victims at the Jackie Robinson YMCA, which served as a command center during the initial flood response.PHOTO: Macy Meinhardt, Voice & Viewpoint Staff
It’s been six months since the Southeastern region in San Diego was slammed with an
atmospheric river that flooded and damaged more than a thousand homes and businesses in District 4 and beyond. The amount of rain and flooding was unprecedented for the region, and the storm water infrastructure in these areas had failed to have proper maintenance, leading to the disaster. On Jan. 22 states of emergency were called in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, and the State of California.
The immediate response by agencies such as the San Diego Housing Commission was to establish incident command structures, implement programs for emergency hotel placements until funding from the county kicked in. On February 12, The Emergency Temporary Lodging Program (ETL) was launched by the county to provide a series of hotel vouchers and meal delivery services to displaced victims. This program was set to expire May 11, however, with many homes still not repaired, and an outstanding need still remaining, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted at the end of April to extend the program for another six weeks. See FLOOD page 2
Report: Black Californians Remain Top Hate Crime Victims; Prosecutions Climb By Edward Henderson CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA
to 518 in 2023. The next highest reporting of bias events was 199 Anti-Hispanic or Latino instances.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta released the 2023 Hate Crime in California Report on June 29, providing data and resources to support ongoing efforts across the state to combat violence motivated by racial or other biases.
“The California Department of Justice has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to hate, and will continue working with law enforcement, elected leaders, and community organizations across the state to keep our communities safe through education, prevention, and enforcement,” said Attorney General Robert Bonta in a statement after releasing the report.
Overall, reported hate crime events in California decreased by 7.1% from 2,120 in 2022 to 1,970 in 2023. Despite that general downward trend, anti-Black bias incidents in the state remained the most prevalent. Year after year, this disturbing statistic holds true despite a 20.6% decrease from 652 in 2022
Political Playback:
“We won’t let bigots and bad actors win. We will not let hate prevail,” said Bonta. The report also found that prosecutions inched up by 5% (about 32 percentage points).
California Capitol News You Might Have Missed
By Bo Tefu CALIFORNIA BLACK MEDIA
According to the Attorney General’s report, from 2022 to 2023, the number of hate crimes referred for prosecution increased from 647 in 2022 to 679 in 2023. Of the 679 hate crimes that were referred for prosecution, 463 cases were filed by district attorneys and elected city attorneys for prosecution. Of the 463 cases that were filed for prosecution, 322 were filed as hate crimes and 141 were filed as non-bias motivated crimes. Under California law, a hate crime is a criminal act committed in whole or in part because of a victim’s actual or perceived disability, gen-
Gov. Newsom to Michigan Voters: Support President Biden Gov. Gavin Newsom urged Michigan Democrats to back President Joe Biden, despite wavering support in the key swing state. Newsom asked voters in Michigan to push back on negative information about President
PHOTO: Courtesy of CBM
der, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or association with someone with one or more of these characteristics. See VICTIMS page 2
Biden’s debate performance against former President Donald Trump debate on June 27 in Atlanta.
See PLAYBACK page 2
Since the debate, Democrats, including some influential party leaders, have raised questions about the Biden-Harris 2024 presidential ticket based on the President’s slow responses to questions and what appeared to be memory gaps during his match-up with Trump.
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