Sean Wilkes was emotionally disturbed and taken to the Contra Costa County Hospital Psychiatric Unit where he was murdered by a fellow patient.

The patient was convicted of murder and found not guilty by reason of insanity. Soon thereafter Wilkes' son brought a lawsuit against the County for their failure to protect his father while in their custody. The case was tried before a Contra Costa jury and a verdict of $1.4 million dollars was returned.

Related News Articles

$1.4 Million in Death Case at Hospital
Contra Costa Times, November 18, 1998
"Jury awards damages to the son of a slain psychiatric patient at Contra Costa's Martinez facility in 1996. A 6-year-old boy whose father was beaten to death while a psychiatric patient at Contra Costa County's hospital was awarded $1.4 million Tuesday. Nearly 2 1/2 years ago, Shawn Wilkes, 27, was in a ward at what was then known as Merrithew Hospital, when another psychiatric patient beat him unconscious in front of security cameras. Schwartz said the wrongful death suit is the largest punitive damage case against a county department head in Northern California."