Baca can be sued for jail violence, court rules

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Sheriff Lee Baca and let stand a ruling that says he can be personally sued for racial violence in the county jails, which Baca's department runs. Dion Starr alleges he was stabbed 23 times by Latino gang members at the Central Men’s Jail in 2006 and kicke din the face by a guard. County lawyers argued that Baca could not be held personally liable since he had no actual involvement in the incident. Today's action by the Supreme Court lets stand a decision of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that said Baca can be sued for “deliberate indifference” to the inmate’s rights since he knew jailhouse violence was a problem and didn't take action to fix it.