Inmate with medical condition dies at San Jose hospital

SAN JOSE – An elderly inmate with an advanced medical condition died Monday morning while under the care of doctors at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, according to authorities.

The man’s death came just days before he was to be considered for “compassionate release,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Brooks Jarosz said in a news release.

Around 4:15 a.m. Monday, two doctors entered the inmate’s hospital room to conduct a medical assessment, Jarosz said, adding that he was pronounced dead nearly 10 minutes later.

An investigation is underway into the death, but foul play is not suspected, Jarosz said.

The man had been in custody since 2018 on a warrant for multiple felony sex offenses and was housed in the infirmary at the Main Jail in San Jose, Jarosz said. He told authorities he had an advanced medical condition, as well as a do not resuscitate, or DNR, and a physician order life sustaining treatment, or POLST, on file.

Jarosz said the ailing inmate was admitted to the hospital on May 7 for a higher level of care.

The name of the man is being withheld until notification to next of kin, Jarosz said.

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