July 24, 2026
Today, the Court dismissed the indictment related to the in-custody death of Maurice Monk and the three Alameda County Sheriff Deputies who were charged with Penal Code Section 368. One count of Government Code Section 6200 as to one of the defendants is the only surviving count.
My thoughts, and the thoughts of the office are with Maurice Monk’s family, friends, and loved ones. Court proceedings cannot erase the pain or restore what has been taken away from the family, and we remember their loss.
This case was originally charged on November 14, 2024, with 11 individuals as defendants with varying felony counts, including violations of Penal Code Section 368 under the theory that a prisoner in a county jail is considered a dependent adult. Upon taking office, we thoroughly and comprehensively reviewed the facts and legal issues of this case and determined there was insufficient evidence against eight of the previously charged defendants, but that there was sufficient evidence to proceed against three Sheriff Deputies. We presented these three defendants and the facts surrounding their involvement to the Criminal Grand Jury in November of 2025, recognizing the novel legal theory of criminal culpability and the lack of a legal precedent. The Criminal Grand Jury determined the allegations to be true and issued an indictment. Subsequently, the defense filed a legal challenge to that indictment. Today, the court dismissed all the charges related to the abuse of a dependent adult as to the three Sheriff Deputies.
Although disappointing, we respect the rule of law and the Court’s decision.
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damedia@acgov.org