Confidential

Facts

On June 29, 1998, plaintiff, age 61, was stopped by two defendant county sheriff's deputies as he was driving to his ranch. The deputies claimed they stopped the plaintiff for a broken headlight. After the plaintiff was ordered out of his vehicle, one of the deputies searched the interior of his pick-up truck. Several minutes later, the deputy seized a hard-cover briefcase the plaintiff used as a toolbox for his contracting business. The deputy asked the plaintiff to list the contents of the briefcase. The plaintiff claimed that as he attempted to comply with the request, the deputy interrupted and stated , "Sounds like burglary tools to me." The plaintiff was arrested and transported to the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station for possesion of burglary tools. At the Sheriff's Station, the plaintiff informed the deputies that he suffered from several serious medical conditions, including lupus and a heart condition, and requested his prescription medications. Pursuant to Sheriff's policies, the deputies refused to provide him his medication. The plaintiff claimed that when he also requested water, the deputies similarly refused. Although the deputies noted that the plaintiff required "immediate medical attention" when he was booked into custody, no medical treatment was provided. Over the next several hours, the plaintiff continued to experience symptoms similar to a heart attack. The plaintiff claimed his requests for water and his prescription medications were ignored and he was not provided water until he was released later that day.