By Carla Thomas

On Aug. 19, families impacted by police violence and organizations from several cities across California rallied in front of the Attorney General’s offices to protest Rob Bonta’s failure to investigate the murder of Jalani Lovett.

Born and raised in Oakland, Lovett was arrested in 2019 and died in 2021 after being held in Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail.

He was in the custody of the notorious 3000 Boys sheriff’s gang, a group linked to the deaths of many other inmates. And while his body showed signs of severe physical trauma, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department labeled Lovett’s death as a drug overdose, although he no access to drugs while in solitary confinement.

Terry Lovett, Jalani’s mother, has been fighting for a proper investigation into her son’s death for four years. She has repeatedly reached out to Bonta, asking him to act since the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) refuses to investigate itself. Organizers say that, despite his campaign promises to step up investigation of in-custody deaths, Bonta has refused to take any action on Jalani Lovett’s case.

Terry Lovett, along with a coalition of police-accountability organizations, families impacted by police violence, trade unions, and concerned community members that support her, organized the state-wide day of action. The organizers rallied in front of Bonta’s offices in San Diego and Los Angeles, and delivered a scroll of over 1,200 signatures of Californians who demand transparency to the office in downtown Oakland.

Lin, an organizer for Oakland Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (OAARPR), said the demands include that Bonta hold a meeting with Terry Lovett to discuss her findings from her own investigation into Jalani’s death, the removal of all security holds on Jalani’s records, and access to all reports and records involving Jalani’s death.

“Jail isn’t supposed to be a death sentence,” said Terry Lovett about her son. “Just because he was in jail doesn’t mean you had the right to take his life. You are still supposed to have rights in prison, and the Attorney General’s job is to protect those rights.”

She added that Californians can’t afford to ignore this violation of her son’s rights. “An injury to one is an injury to all.”

Lovett emphasized that this fight isn’t just about her son, but part of a broader fight against the terrible violence experienced by California prisoners. “California prisoners have the highest rate of in-custody deaths in the country, with a staggering 120 deaths listed as ‘unnatural causes’ in 2025 alone,” said Lovett. Anyone can end up in prison like her son,   Lovett said, and that all Californians have reason to be worried about the issue. Jelani’s sister, Yvette Martin, was also present.

Terry Lovett is supported by ILWU Locals 10 and 34, OAARPR, Dignity & Power Now, The Racial Justice Coalition of San Diego, Open Police Archives and Oakland Jericho, and BART workers from the ATU Local 1555.

Many families that have lost a loved one to police violence from around the Bay Area attended the rally, including Kathryn Wade, and Denise Friday, among others.

Kathryn Wade, the mother of  Malad Baldwin, who was beaten by law enforcement in Antioch, cried as she explained the harassment and beatings of her son at the hands of law enforcement. “We need justice for everyone” she said with her grandson, Sirlod, age 8. “My grandson has no father because of the racism and harassment in these systems. Justice for Jelani.”

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