EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The family of Jesus Torres, who was beaten to death in an El Paso County jail cell in November 2023, has filed a federal lawsuit against the county alleging negligence in his death.

The lawsuit, filed nearly a year to the day of Torres’ death, accuses the prison of failing to protect him while he awaited trial.

On November 27, 2023, at approximately 7:53 a.m., an officer discovered Torres, 57, dead in his cell. An investigation revealed Torres died the previous night around 8 p.m., according to the trial chronology.

The family alleges the jail failed to conduct adequate background checks on inmates, which led to Torres being found 12 hours after he was allegedly attacked by six other inmates.

Those inmates were identified as 31-year-old Manuel Alejandro Vargas, 18-year-old Juan Alberto Ortiz, 23-year-old George Lopez, 38-year-old Jesus Adrian Rocha, Jovani 29-year-old Dionicio Ramos and 25-year-old Christian Carillo.

El Paso County Sheriff Richard Wiles previously said inmate rounds were made hourly in the general population cell block where Torres was housed.

“It’s a general population cell and those checks are done every 60 minutes. Not every 30 minutes. And we believe those checks have been done,” Wiles said.

However, the lawsuit alleges the jail failed to conduct face-to-face checks and ensure Torres’ safety by placing him in a cell with people facing more serious charges, such as smuggling and murder.

The lawsuit also references jailhouse surveillance footage that allegedly shows the six accused inmates beating Torres.

During a tour of the prison last year shortly after the incident, the deputy warden acknowledged the difficulty of monitoring all inmates at all times.

Sheriff Wiles described the attack as premeditated, stating: “This was in fact a pre-planned attack on the victim. A letter was found from one of the individuals who was involved in the murder.”

The lawsuit also alleges that Torres’ custodial death report was falsified, with discrepancies between the dates and times of the incident, stating that Torres was attacked on Nov. 27 and died several hours later that day.

According to the lawsuit, Torres was attacked on Sunday and found nearly 12 hours later on Monday.

The sheriff’s affidavit supports this timeline, suggesting that the inmates involved may have tried to make it appear that Torres was asleep during the rounds.

Dean Malone, the family’s lawyer, criticized the prison’s response, saying: “It makes no sense at all that the killing of Jesus was in full view of the jailers through a video camera and no one ever came to help. It is even more bizarre that Jesus’ lifeless body sat in the cell for hours before it was discovered.

The family, including Torres’ two sons and two daughters, are seeking damages for what they claim is their father’s wrongful death.

Surveillance video of the incident was requested, but was not provided, and the sheriff’s department would not comment on the lawsuit.

RELATED: Details have been released about Sunday’s murder at the El Paso County Jail Annex

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