Another lawsuit has been filed against the embattled Riverside County Sheriff’s Department over conditions in its jails. The claim was filed on behalf of the family of Steve De Leon Gonzalez who was killed in custody by another inmate last year.
It alleges that the Sheriff’s Department misclassified Scott Lowder, who attacked Gonzalez, as a lower security risk than he was. Lowder has a violent criminal record that spans some 35 years. He had been booked on a firearms charge when he was placed in a rehabilitation program at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said in an email they do not comment on pending litigation.
Steve De Leon Gonzalez is one of more than 2 dozen people who have died in county jails since 2022. A record-breaking 18 people died that year.
Sheriff Chad Bianco has served as sheriff for six years. Since he became sheriff, deaths in his jails increased—though he has deflected responsibility.