According to the suspect’s attorney and the police, the individual who was in custody for charges related to a mass shooting in the California state capital in 2022 passed away in his cell on Saturday.
According to a statement shared on social media by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, a male inmate aged 29 passed away while in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail at approximately 2:15 a.m.
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According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Smiley Martin, the client of public defender Norman Dawson, has been identified as the man in question. Martin was awaiting trial on three felony charges related to a shooting incident that occurred on April 3, 2022, in Sacramento. The shooting claimed the lives of six individuals and left 12 others injured, including two of the alleged shooters.
During a recent cell check, an inmate was discovered unresponsive by jail deputies. Despite attempts by both the deputies and fire department personnel to revive him, the inmate was ultimately declared dead by the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office has stated that they will conduct an investigation and await notification of the next of kin before releasing the name of the deceased man and determining the cause of death, as per the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office protocol.
According to a written statement by Dawson, Martin was defending his innocence during the preliminary hearing process when he passed away.
Around 2 a.m., a shooting took place in a downtown entertainment area near the state Capitol building, which resulted in over 100 rapid-fire shots being fired.
As the bars and clubs emptied out at closing time, two groups of men with gang connections engaged in a gunfight, causing chaos and panic among hundreds of people who were trying to flee for their safety. According to the police, at least five gunmen were involved in the incident.
When Martin was 27, he was taken into custody while receiving treatment for gunshot wounds. He faced several charges, including murder, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and possession and transportation of a machine gun.
His brother, Dandrae Martin, was also taken into custody as a “related suspect” on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and being a convicted felon carrying a loaded firearm. Fortunately, he sustained only minor injuries.
According to a law enforcement official, Dandrae Martin shared a live video of himself holding a handgun just before the shooting occurred.
Authorities have pressed charges against Mtula Payton for his involvement in the shooting incident.
