In October 2014, plaintiff Jonathan Thomas, 31, a man who suffered from a variety of mental disorders, including epilepsy, mania, depression and schizophrenia, was transferred from Atascadero State Hospital, a secure forensic hospital in Atascadero, to San Diego Central Jail to await a routine court hearing before the San Diego Superior Court. Prior to being transferred to the jail, Thomas was checked into a home that provided 24-hour monitoring and therapy. A few months after his admission, Thomas attempted to set a small couch on fire inside of the psychiatric home. As a result, Thomas was arrested for arson of an inhabited structure, and he was sent to a detention area to await sentencing. While in detention, Thomas attempted suicide twice by jumping off the second tier of his housing unit. Shortly after the second suicide attempt, Thomas pleaded guilty to arson of an inhabited structure, and he received a sentence of three years. Two years into his sentence, Thomas was transferred to Atascadero State Hospital because the authorities felt that Thomas represented a substantial danger of physical harm to himself and others. As a result, Thomas’ commitment to the hospital was involuntarily extended for a period of one year on three occasions. He was eventually transferred from the hospital to San Diego Central Jail to await a routine court hearing in October 2014. However, after his transfer, he was housed on an upper tier of a housing area that had supervision levels comparable to the conditions in general population. Thomas ultimately jumped again from the upper tier. He sustained to his pelvis. Thomas’ father, Dave Thomas, acting as Jonathan Thomas’ guardian ad litem, sued the operator of the jail, the county of San Diego; the sheriff for San Diego County, William Gore; the San Diego chief medical officer for the Sheriff’s Detention Services, Alfred Joshua; a public defender, Connie Magana; a deputy, David Guzman; a psychiatrist at the jail, Jorge Naranjo; and three jail nurses, Larry Deguzman, Mary Montelibano and Marylene Allen. Dave Thomas alleged that the defendants violated his son’s civil and constitutional rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. He also alleged that the defendants failed to treat his son’s mental health, and were negligent in the housing of his son and in monitoring his son at the jail. Plaintiff’s counsel contended that, in connection with the transfer, the jail received notification of Thomas’ previous suicide attempts and received discharge papers from the hospital that noted Thomas’ medical conditions. Specifically, counsel contended that the discharge papers stated that Thomas had attempted suicide twice by jumping off upper housing tiers, and ordered that Thomas receive “intensive psychiatric care” and “close psychiatric supervision” at the jail. Plaintiff’s counsel contended that, under the circumstances, the jail’s policy required Thomas to be placed on “suicide precautions,” housed in a lower bunk on a lower tier, and placed under heightened observation. However, counsel asserted that Thomas was negligently housed., Thomas shattered his pelvis in the fall. He was taken to a hospital, where he received treatment for his fractured pelvis and continues to receive psychological treatment. Thomas claimed that the incident also caused him emotional distress. Thomas sought recovery of damages for his past and future physical and emotional pain and suffering.