On Jan. 15, 2014, plaintiffs’ decedent Jacob Parenti, 33, was found dead in his dormitory bed in the Monterey County Jail, where he was being held for a 12-month term on a probation violation. The decedent’s mother, Susan Parenti, and Matthew Oberholtz, acting on behalf of the decedent’s estate and minor son, sued Sheriff Scott Miller; Deputy Collins; the officers’ employer, Monterey County; California Forensic Medical Group; and the medical group’s staff psychiatrist and medical director, Dr. Taylor Fithian. The plaintiffs alleged that the county defendants were deliberately indifferent to the decedent’s serious medical needs. The plaintiffs also alleged that the county contracted with California Forensic Medical Group to provide medical and mental health services for its inmates at the jail, but that Fithian and the medical group were negligent in their treatment of the decedent. California Forensic Medical Group and Fithian were dismissed from the case, and Collins was granted summary judgment on the issue of deliberate indifference. Plaintiffs’ counsel contended that Jacob Parenti became ill and filled out a sick-call request form on Jan. 10, 2014, because he had the flu. He filled out a second form on Jan. 12, 2014, and allegedly started expectorating blood. Counsel contended that on Jan. 15, 2014, Parenti could not be awakened and was not checked on for an hour thereafter. Subsequently, Parenti was pronounced dead. Plaintiffs’ counsel asserted that the county defendants left Parenti lying unconscious, helpless and untreated in his bed to die from viral influenza syndrome complicated by pneumonia, which is a treatable condition. The county’s counsel asserted that Parenti died from drug intoxication. Counsel contended that on Jan. 15, 2014, Parenti was having a normal morning, per inmates and jail staff, and that Parenti was physically contacted by the staff. Counsel further asserted that there was no evidence established of Parenti expectorating blood., Jacob Parenti was pronounced dead at the jail on Jan. 15, 2014. He was 33 years old, and was survived by his mother and his minor son. Parenti’s family hired a toxicologist to perform a separate autopsy and determined that Parenti died as a result of “viral flu syndrome complicated by pneumonia, sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, septic shock and multi-organ system failure.” Parenti’s family sought recovery of wrongful death damages. Defense counsel disputed the cause of Parenti’s death, asserting that the county’s autopsy concluded that Parenti died from “acute mixed drug intoxication.”