Jeff McDonald, Los Angeles Times

Jeff McDonald

Los Angeles Times

San Diego, CA, United States

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Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • Los Angeles Times
  • The Union-Tribune
  • Orlando Sentinel

Past articles by Jeff:

Doctor, nurse face preliminary hearing in jail-death case

Relatives of Elisa Serna, who plan to attend the multi-day proceeding, say more people should have been charged in the woman's death at Las Colinas jail. → Read More

Federal judge orders San Diego County sheriff to release internal records on jail deaths

The San Diego County sheriff must turn over the reports within a week, so lawyers for the Union-Tribune and other news outlets can develop privacy protocols. → Read More

University City residents protest the number of new housing units planned for their neighborhood

Draft community plan update raises alarms over density, congestion → Read More

Executive wants greater oversight powers for civilian board amid jail deaths — including over medical staff

Top Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board officials scheduled a special meeting to consider a host of changes, including one that would eliminate a one-year limit on the board's authority to investigate misconduct complaints. → Read More

San Diego County settles with Frankie Greer over jail injury

But the settlement with Frankie Greer does not resolve a broader dispute over the release of internal sheriff's records. → Read More

Consumer group appeals court loss in dispute over state insurance records

Los Angeles-based Consumer Watchdog says trial court erred in dismissing claims early this year → Read More

Under growing scrutiny, Whitburn chief of staff Cardenas says he will close political consulting firm

The decision comes after an ultimatum from San Diego councilmember and revelations about the firm's federal COVID-19 relief loan. → Read More

Political firm owned by Whitburn adviser still doing business while suspended by state

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to the San Diego County Democratic Party are flowing through the company owned by Jesus Cardenas. → Read More

County civil service commission upholds firing of social worker who harassed single mother

The former employee was found to have accessed the domestic-violence victim's case file and repeatedly asked her out, saying he was 'expecting a steak dinner' for his help → Read More

Bankrupt FQHC Borrego Health to sell clinics to DAP Health

The selection of DAP Health, which still needs a bankruptcy court's approval, comes more than two years after federal agents raided Borrego Health clinics and offices. → Read More

Sheriff rejects stricter rules for housing transgender people in San Diego County jails

The department's decision comes as county prepares to settle a lawsuit by a transgender woman who was badly beaten after being placed in a cell with three men. → Read More

Reappointment debate exposes growing rift between San Diego audit committee, city attorney

Stewart Halpern has been awarded a new term as the City Council seeks an outside legal opinion. → Read More

San Diego Foundation gets $100 million gift from Jay Kahn

The bequest — most of whose funds remain undesignated — instantly lands the late Jay Kahn on the list of largest donors in San Diego history. → Read More

San Diego sheriff should release internal reports on jail deaths, civilian oversight board says

'The families of the folks who have died are certainly not seeing the CIRB reports,' the oversight board's executive officer said. 'Nobody is getting those reports.' → Read More

Civilian review board will consider asking sheriff to release internal records on jail deaths

Kelly Martinez last year publicly said the internal reviews would be made public “in the near future.” To date, her department has released details of just two cases, though 20 people died in custody last year. → Read More

Judge tosses last defendant from Gordon lawsuit over Ash St.

Two and a half years after John Gordon sued over the city's troubled lease for the high-rise, a new ruling has ended the case, for now. His lawyers plan to appeal. → Read More

One year after scathing review of jail deaths, new sheriff issues self-assessment on progress

The update was released the same day relatives of people who died in custody demonstrated alongside community advocates outside Sheriff’s Department headquarters. → Read More

Relatives of people who died in San Diego County jails seek joint meeting with sheriff

Loved ones say they still have questions about the deaths and their concerns are not being heard → Read More

Ash Street dispute should be decided by a jury, not dismissed before trial, taxpayer plaintiff argues

The judge made no immediate final decision. He had issued a tentative ruling dismissing the last defendant earlier this week. → Read More

Cisterra tossed from Ash St. lawsuit after city settlement

If upheld after a Friday hearing, the ruling would remove the final defendant from the case over the city's ill-fated lease for a downtown high-rise, ending the closely-watched litigation. → Read More