Full Notification

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is offering information about the recent suicide by inmate Mikol Stewart. He was booked into custody on September 11, 2014 for murder and other felony charges. The following information is being provided to the public to enhance the understanding of the process for all inmates, and Stewart in particular.

When an individual is booked into county jail for a serious crime, such as murder, he is evaluated by Correctional Deputies, Medical Personnel and Licensed Mental Health providers. In the case of Stewart it was determined that he should be housed in an observation cell in the Mental Health unit until his arraignment. This housing determination is not solely based on an individual’s mental state, but also involves more global considerations such as seriousness of the crime, sophistication of the inmate, vulnerability or predatory issues, among many other concerns.

Stewart was housed in an observation cell in the Mental Health unit near the front of the correctional deputies’ station. When an individual is in a Mental Health Unit observation cell he is checked every 15 minutes by correctional deputies during rounds. The correctional deputies who work the Mental Health unit are specially trained for the challenges that can occur when dealing with this particularly vulnerable population. The doors all have transparent panes for visual observation.

Stewart was seen by the jail psychiatrists and licensed clinical mental health professionals throughout the two days prior to his court hearing and was evaluated by these professionals. Through interviews and other assessment tools, Stewart was determined to be suitable for movement to another housing unit. They were satisfied that his mental status was appropriate and he had expressed a desire to be moved. He was transferred on September 13, 2014. He was considered a maximum security inmate and was housed in a cell by himself in a general population unit.

The general population housing unit is staffed with a correctional deputy. All the cell doors have transparent panes for visual inspection from within the unit. Per policy, the correctional deputy makes security rounds twice an hour. This does not prevent a correctional deputy from doing rounds more often or informally, in addition to their other assigned tasks within the unit.

Stewart was in the general population unit for 15 days without incident. The correctional deputy completed all his rounds during his shift. Nothing was unusual. An inmate passing by Stewart’s cell door between one of these rounds alerted the correctional deputy to render aid. The inmates were immediately locked-down and back-up summoned simultaneous to the providing of life saving efforts.

As previously reported, Stewart did not survive. The autopsy revealed that his death was consistent with suicide; asphyxia due to hanging.

Because Stewart was in-custody at the time of his death, the Fatal Incident Protocol was invoked. That protocol requires that when a death occurs while in the custodial facilities of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, it is investigated by the Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit and the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office.


The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office understands the community’s interest to know what occurred in an in-custody death. Because there is an on-going investigation, we are not releasing some specific details to not only to protect the integrity of the investigation, but to follow mandates to respect Stewart’s rights to have his medical and psychological records protected. Furthermore, there are considerations for the safety and security of the facility, inmates and staff that would simply be irresponsible to divulge or comment upon.


Prepared by Sergeant Cecile Focha
Media Relations/PIO