By Tracey Kaplan
San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE — Santa Clara County will form a commission to examine its jail system, with the aim of recommending improvements in the wake of inmate Michael Tyree’s beating death.
Two weeks ago, Tyree was found dead in his cell at the county main jail in San Jose. Three correctional officers are accused of brutally beating him. They face murder charges.
Sheriff Laurie Smith and Supervisors Dave Cortese and Cindy Chavez are set to announce the formation of the “Blue Ribbon Commission on Improving Custody Operations’’ at a news conference Thursday morning.
The county also plans to establish an anonymous hotline for staff, inmates and members of the public to report issues such as abuse, misuse of force or poor jail conditions.
The three guards -- Jereh Lubrin, Matthew Farris and Rafael Rodriguez -- also allegedly roughed up another inmate just minutes before they beat Tyree, according to a report submitted by a sheriff’s investigator.
The county also plans to rapidly expand and modernize its custody surveillance camera system.
The public panel will investigate all custody operations, “from top to bottom,’' a source familiar with the plan said.
The panel will recommend how to safely manage the mentally ill population, hold correctional staff accountable for their conduct, allow inmates, their relatives and civil rights advocates to safely report potential abuse, increase training for all custody staff, improve inmate support and programs and improve safety for inmates, visitors and custody staff.
It will include two members of the Board of Supervisors; the county’s Chief of Correction John Hirokawa; at least one retired judge; nationally renowned mental health experts; members of the clergy, civil rights and inmate rights community groups; employee representatives; inmates’ relatives, and former inmates.
The county also plans to hire outside legal counsel or retired judges to help in producing a work plan.