Three Bay Area correctional deputies arrested in inmate death

An inmate at the Santa Clara County Jail died of multiple blunt force injuries, and 3 deputies were arrested on suspicion of murder.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — An inmate at a county jail died of multiple blunt force injuries and three Northern California correctional deputies have been arrested on suspicion of murder in his death at a county jail, sheriff's officials said Thursday.

Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. James Jensen said the deputies — Rafael Rodriguez, Jereh Lubrin and Matthew Farris— remain in custody. They are being held without bail.

Medical Examiner Dr. Joseph O'Hara reports that 31-year-old inmate Michael James Pipkin Tyree died of multiple blunt force injuries, "visceral lacerations" and internal bleeding.

Exactly what happened to cause his death remained unclear Thursday afternoon. Tyree died last week at the jail. He had pleaded no contest to petty theft.

Further details are expected during a sheriff's office news conference Thursday afternoon.

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