10 charged in Oakland man's 2021 death at Santa Rita Jail make 1st court appearance
9 deputies, 2 medical staff charged with Santa Rita Jail death of Oakland man
The outgoing Alameda County District Attorney on Tuesday charged nine sheriff's deputies and two medical employees with the death of an Oakland man who had been languishing in his Santa Rita Jail cell for days before anyone noticed he was no longer alive.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Ten of the 11 people charged in the death of an Oakland man at the Santa Rita Jail in 2021 made their first court appearance on Monday, but did not enter pleas.
Outgoing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price charged the 11 deputies and medical staff last week with felony counts of criminal dependent adult abuse and neglect – in this case, the alleged neglect of Maurice Monk whose body was discovered on Nov. 15, 2021.
The defendants are: Deputies Donall Chauncy Rowe, Thomas Mowrer, Ross Burruel, Robinderpal Singh Hayer, Andre Gaston, Troy Hershel White, Syear Osmani, Mateusz Laszuk and Christopher Haendel as well as Wellpath nurse David Everett Donoho and Alameda County Forensic Behavioral Health Dr. Neal Edwards.
Three of the 11 were also charged with falsifying documents.
One defendant – White -- did not appear in court Monday because he was out of state.
The defendants did not enter pleas on Monday because several of the deputies have not secured defense counsel, according to attorney Michael Rains. They are expected to return to court Dec. 16.
(L-R) Alameda County sheriff's deputies Andre Gaston, Mateusz Laszuk, Robinderpal Singh Hayer, Thomas Mowrer, Donall Rowe, Christopher Haendel make first court appearance after being charged with Santa Rita Jail death of Maurice Monk. Nov. 18, 2024.
"What happens now is we are going to get discovery from the district attorney," Rains said. "I assume we're going to see an administrative investigation that was done by the sheriff's office."
Rains reiterated that the deputies and medical staff are currently on administrative leave. Each of the defendants has posted bail and are not in police custody.
Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez put the seven active sworn deputies on leave and two deputies no longer work for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office. Through a spokesman, Sanchez said she admits mistakes were made with Monk's situation, but she does not believe his death warrants criminal charges.
KTVU first reported the conditions of Monk's death after obtaining exclusive body camera video inside the jail that shows no one physically checked on the 45-year-old man, who is seen lying half naked on his bunk, for at least three days, possibly four.
And when deputies finally found Monk's body, stacks of uneaten food trays and pills lay scattered about the floor near an oblong puddle of urine by the foot of his bed.
Last year, Monk's daughter and son won $7 million – an unprecedented amount from the sheriff's office.
The timing of the charges came one week after Price was ousted from her post as part of a historic effort to recall her.
She conceded on Monday, accepting the vote on the effort to recall her.
It's unknown at this point if her successor will forge ahead with the case.
(L-R) Alameda County sheriff's deputies Ross Burruel and Syear Osmani make first court appearance in death of Maurice Monk. Nov. 18, 2024
(L-R) Alameda County sheriff's deputy Donall Rowe and attorney Joshua Olander appear in court. Nov. 18, 2024
(L-R) Attorneys Joseph Hoffmann and Michael Rains, Alameda County sheriff's deputy Christopher Haendel and attorney Joshua Olander appear in court. Nov. 18, 2024
Alameda County Forensic Behavioral Health Dr. Neal Edwards is arraigned on charges related to the Santa Rital jail death of Maurice Monk. Nov. 18, 2024