Nearly two years ago, Maurice Monk, unable to afford his $2,500 bond, sat in a California jail for 34 days. He had missed a court appearance following an argument with a bus driver.
Before he entered Santa Rita jail in Alameda county, Monk had regularly taken prescription medication for high blood pressure, diabetes and schizophrenia. During a previous time at Santa Rita months before his death, he had received his prescriptions as usual.