LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — Riverside County faces a civil lawsuit over the murder of an inmate in its custody.
The Estate of Mark Spratt, by and through successor in interest, Jennifer Spratt, filed suit Oct. 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against the County of Riverside, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Chad Bianco and others, alleging wrongful death and other claims.
According to Spratt's complaint, her 24-year old son, Mark Spratt, was arrested on nonviolent drug charges and allegations of obtaining personally identifying information with intent to defraud on Jan. 12, 2023.
She claims her son was placed in a cell with an inmate, Micky Payne, who had a history of violent criminal offenses including assault with a deadly weapon. The plaintiff further claims her son made a call from the jail complaining that he was housed with a "white inmate" and that inmates in neighboring cells notified deputies of a fight in her son's cell without any response.
She alleges a deputy found her son in his cell on the floor, but he was not transported to the hospital until more than an hour later, where he died from wounds including several vertebral fractures and facial hematomas.
The plaintiff seeks monetary relief, interest trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Brynna Popka and Zachary Simpson of The McCune Law Group PC in Ontario, California.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 5:23-CB-02096