Joseph Mendoza, 36, was fatally stabbed nearly 180 times by fellow inmates at California’s Salinas Valley State Prison on April 8, 2025, in an attack his family alleges prison staff failed to stop despite watching it unfold.​
Attack Circumstances
Mendoza, serving a 26-year sentence for robbery, attempted murder, and other charges as a Norteño gang associate, had been caught with drugs in January 2025 and repeatedly requested protective custody fearing retaliation, but remained in general population. Norteño affiliates Nicolas Young and Edgar Frayre attacked him with shanks in the high-risk dayroom, inflicting deep wounds to his head, face, neck, torso, and back over three minutes; he bled out at the scene.
Staff Response Allegations
The lawsuit claims armed corrections officers observed from above, recorded the assault on phones without intervening, calling for backup, or providing timely aid, then shared the graphic video on social media, causing family trauma. CDCR counters that medical aid was initiated post-attack and denies negligence; the stabbing investigation continues, with attackers in restricted housing.
Lawsuit and Family Statement
Filed in December 2025 in Northern District of California against CDCR, the suit seeks accountability for deliberate indifference, evidence mishandling, and emotional distress. Mendoza’s father seeks systemic change to prevent future deaths, not revenge.
