Three former Santa Clara County correctional deputies pleaded guilty Tuesday to voluntary manslaughter for beating an inmate to death nearly 10 years ago.
Jereh Lubrin, Matthew Farris and Rafael Rodriguez will serve 11 years in state prison for the 2015 jail beating death of Michael Tyree, a mentally ill inmate.
"Today, there was some justice for the voiceless and the vulnerable," Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. "Michael Tyree’s death was a shocking abuse of power but also an impetus that led to long-needed reforms in how we handle the mentally ill in custody. I pray that his name will continue to inspire us to advocate for a criminal justice system that never treats human dignity as a luxury."
In 2017, the former Santa Clara County Sheriff deputies were convicted by a San Jose jury of second-degree murder. They were sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. But In August 2022, an appellate court reversed the murder convictions after a judge ruled that the primary legal theory prosecutors cited was invalidated by recent changes in state law.
The former three jail guards will get credit for already serving more than seven years and will likely be eligible for early release after serving one more year. Lubrin, Farris, and Rodriguez are scheduled to be back in court on Oct. 22 for sentencing.
It is possible a judge could order them to serve their sentence under house arrest.
The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.
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