Wakiesha Wilson, 37
Los Angeles, California
March 27, 2016
Agencies: Los Angeles Police Department California LAPD | LAPD Force Investigation Division California | Metropolitan Detention Center Jail Los Angeles California
Cause of death: Choking
Last updated: about 3 years ago
People tracking this case: 1 -- Click here to Track this.
Overview 
Los Angeles police and their coroner’s office claim that 36-year-old Wakiesha Wilson hung herself in her Metropolitan Detention Center cell on Sunday, March 27, 2016. But her family says that doesn’t make any sense since she had a 13-year old son and wasn’t suicidal, her mother told KABC News.
“I don’t believe that, my daughter would not kill herself. It’s not like this is the first time she’s been incarcerated. No, she had too much to live for,” said Lisa Hines.
Her family said the last time they spoke with Wilson was on Easter morning. They said she “was happy” as they went over the details of her hearing for Tuesday. Wilson told her family she would call them back later night, but never did. On the day of hearing, the same day she was to be released, Wilson wasn’t in court. After pleading with officials to tell them where Wilson was, Hines said she was given a phone number, it was to the coroner’s office, KABC noted.
“They knew when I was at court. They knew Monday when I called. They knew Monday because she died Sunday,” Hines said.
Why did the police department wait four days to notify Wilson’s family about her death? Right now, that’s exactly what Wilson’s family lawyer is trying to find out.
“We know there was some kind of disagreement with a detention officer or an LAPD officer. We know that after that disagreement she passed away,” Jaaye Person-Lynn told KABC.
Legal Action
March 2016 Coroner rules suicide
June 2016 Watchdog finds cell check failures
On September 19, 2016, Carl Douglas, best known for being one of the defense attorneys in the O.J. Simpson murder case, announced that he would be filing a $35 million claim for damages in the death of 36-year-old Wakiesha Wilson on behalf of her family.
July 2017 Prosecutors: No 'criminal liability' in controversial case of woman who died in LAPD jail cell
Community and Family Efforts
April 2016 Burial fund
May 2018 Ashes thrown at police chief
Additional Resources:
- https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/05/08/2-women-detained-substance-thrown-lapd-chief-charlie-beck/ added May 14, 2018 00:35
- http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-wakiesha-wilson-20170710-story.html added July 11, 2017 23:02
- http://www.eurweb.com/2016/09/family-of-woman-found-dead-in-lapd-jail-cell-to-file-35m-claim-for-damages/ added September 20, 2016 08:25
- http://www.blackgirltragic.com/home/2016/5/19/to-live-die-in-la-jail-what-happened-to-wakiesha-wilson added July 12, 2016 03:41
- http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-jail-checks-20160603-snap-story.html added June 05, 2016 00:12
- http://blackyouthproject.com/los-angeles-family-questions-womans-reported-suicide-in-jail/ added April 15, 2016 08:52
- http://blackyouthproject.com/los-angeles-family-questions-womans-reported-suicide-in-jail/ added April 15, 2016 08:39
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUWmOKgCqT4 added April 07, 2016 06:38
- https://www.aclu.org/issues/prisoners-rights/women-prison added April 06, 2016 19:26
- http://www.inusanews.com/article/25266441509/lapd-family-questions-circumstances-surrounding added April 06, 2016 12:54
- http://www.digitalnewsworld.com/news/family-questions-circumstances-surrounding-death-of-woman-in-lapd-jail-cell.html added April 06, 2016 12:54
- http://www.kristv.com/story/31633192/woman-found-dead-in-la-jail-family-demanding-answers added April 06, 2016 12:54
- http://www.mckaysmortuaries.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=3648638&fh_id=14351 added April 06, 2016 12:51
- http://sdvoice.info/ added April 06, 2016 12:50
- http://juicylinksmag.com/2016/04/04/family-of-woman-who-died-in-lapd-custody-disputes-suicide-report/ added April 06, 2016 12:50
- http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-woman-died-lapd-jail-20160405-story.html added April 06, 2016 12:48
- http://blackmattersus.tumblr.com/post/142339411924/according-to-abc7-report-a-black-woman-wakiesha added April 06, 2016 12:48
- http://theshaderoom.com/family-of-woman-who-died-in-lapd-custody-disputes-suicide-report/ added April 06, 2016 12:42
- http://abc7.com/news/family-of-woman-who-died-in-la-jail-disputes-coroners-suicide-report-/1273367/ added April 06, 2016 09:09
- http://hellobeautiful.com/2016/04/04/wakiesha-wilson-dead-lapd/#.VwNTkh2NOS4.twitter added April 05, 2016 07:09