Merced, CA (December 15, 2025) — A family from Merced has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the State of California and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), claiming prison staff failed to prevent a deadly inmate attack and improperly allowed graphic video of the incident to circulate online.
The lawsuit centers on the death of 36-year-old Joseph Mendoza, who was incarcerated at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad when he was killed during an inmate assault in April 2025. The family argues that actions and inactions by prison officials before, during, and after the incident contributed to Mendoza’s death and caused ongoing emotional trauma.
On April 8, 2025, Joseph Mendoza, 36, was attacked inside Facility C at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad when two inmates, identified by CDCR as Edgar Frayre and Nicolas Young, assaulted him with improvised weapons in a dayroom area.
CDCR states that staff observed the attack around 5:39 p.m., issued multiple verbal commands that were ignored, and then used less-than-lethal force to stop the assault. Authorities restrained Frayre and Young and provided medical aid to Mendoza, but he was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. CDCR classified the incident as a homicide.
While CDCR has not released an official number of wounds, media reports linked to the family’s lawsuit claim surveillance video shows Mendoza was stabbed more than 180 times.
That figure comes from those reports and has not been independently confirmed by correctional or medical officials. CDCR’s Investigative Services Unit and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate the incident.
The lawsuit alleges CDCR staff failed to adequately intervene or protect Mendoza during the attack and did not properly secure sensitive surveillance footage afterward. Family attorneys describe the handling of the video as reckless and lacking any legitimate correctional purpose.
The complaint raises legal questions about whether the release of the footage violated California laws that restrict government employees from sharing graphic images, including statutes commonly referred to as the “Kobe Bryant Act,” though the court has not yet determined how those laws apply in a correctional setting.
CDCR has offered a different account, stating that custody staff responded to the fight, issued verbal commands, and deployed less-than-lethal measures to stop the assault. The department says staff provided medical aid after the incident, but Mendoza later died from his injuries.
CDCR has also confirmed that it is conducting an internal review and that any staff found to have violated department policies on recording devices or the sharing of sensitive material could face disciplinary action.
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office and CDCR’s Investigative Services Unit are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the homicide. Separate from the lawsuit, CDCR has previously confirmed that two inmates were identified as suspects and that the case remains under investigation.
The family’s lawsuit seeks damages and accountability from the state and correctional officials within California’s prison system. The case remains pending in federal court, and no final determinations have been made regarding liability or wrongdoing at this stage.
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