Coroner’s inquest jury determines in custody death of child molestation suspect from Antioch was suicide
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff-Coroner
Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announces that a Coroner’s jury has reached a finding in the June 12, 2018 death of 52-year-old Phillip Andrew Jacobson of Antioch. The finding of the jury is that the death was a suicide.
Jacobson was arrested on booked into jail on July 11, 2017 by the Antioch Police Department. He was being held on eight counts of child molestation. (See related article).
The Coroner’s jury reached a unanimous verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by hearing officer Matthew Guichard.
A Coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: Accident, Suicide
Natural Causes, and At the hands of another person, other than by accident.
