CA - Off Duty LAPD Officer charged in fatal shooting altercation inside Costco, Corona, June 2019 #2

[Cryptic]

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced that his office has filed charges against a former LAPD officer in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man at a Costco in Corona two years ago.

Yikes, he is not being prosecuted by the Riverside locals (probably formidable enough). Rather, he is being prosecuted by the the State Attorney General.

The State Attorney General brings even more expertise and resources to the trial. They still need to secure a victory against a local, and presumably sympathetic local jury pool. At the same time, I wonder how representational that Grand Jury was?

In the end, I think Riverside juries are going to be looking for very good reasons to shoot three people and send 10 rounds flying around Costco. The defendant's "somewhat excusable reasons- if you accept my spin" presentation is not going to be good enough.

Ironically. the same spin concerning a locale out of sight and out of mind of the average citizen- say behind a strip joint after closing might be good enough for the benefit of the doubt. But at Costco.....?

 

[apricotpeach]

I dont know.

Likewise, though I understand your point regarding the apparent depth of his failure to follow department policies, the difference between "resigning" and "firing" can very blurry.

For example, it could include the person resigning on Friday because he knew he would be fired on Monday. Thus, even if the article(s) say "resigned", it may not mean that he resigned in the true sense of the word.

I was just curious whether LAPD indeed intended to discipline him (although that probably be considered confidential information so it's not like we the public would be told). According to LAPD's website, he was "terminated from the Los Angeles Police Department in July of 2020". According to the LAist article, it just said he left the PD a month after the commission's report.

 

[cvaldez1975]

Do any of the news articles mentions whether Sanchez was fired from the LAPD or resigned? I know the LAPD chief and the police commission issued reports that essentially said he violated departmental policy in the way in which he fired his weapon and conducted himself (and could face disciplinary action).

The police commission's report is interesting to read because it goes into the other aspects of the incident (other than the obvious shooting itself), like the fact that the Fire Dept couldn't enter the store immediately to render aid because they believed it was an active shooter incident.

BBM
per this link he was terminated for violating policy in july 2020.

Ex-LAPD officer charged in deadly Corona Costco shooting

 

[PrairieWind]

BBM
per this link he was terminated for violating policy in july 2020.

Ex-LAPD officer charged in deadly Corona Costco shooting

I think it is ridiculous that the DA didn't bring charges against him.

 

[Cryptic]

I think it is ridiculous that the DA didn't bring charges against him.

I agree.

Some jurisdictions, however, have a practice of not pursuing a trial if a grand jury does not indict. So, he / she might have been adhering to a long standing practice in Riverside County.

In my large urban county, nearly all self defense shooting outside of a home are automatically referred to Grand Juries as a matter 0f practice. I have never heard of a DA in my county pursuing charges if the Grand Jury does not give an indictment.

Though one time the DA did emphatically state the his department would proceed to trial with, or with out indictment. The case also involved an off duty LEO chasing, cornering, and then well, executing a car burglar. But.... the Grand Jury gave an indictment.

Likewise, maybe the Attorney General's investigator found additional evidence that would increase their chances with an actual Riverside jury? Say.... social media posts where the shooter stated to the effect that he was "locked, loaded and looking for a pretense."?

 

[mickey2942]

Finally!

 

[SeesSeas]

A jury awards $17 million to the parents of a man killed by an LAPD officer in Costco
A jury awards $17 million to the parents of a man killed by an LAPD officer in Costco
October 28, 2021

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A federal jury on Wednesday awarded $17 million to the parents of a mentally ill man who was shot in a Costco store by an off-duty Los Angeles police officer.

The panel in Riverside ruled in a lawsuit filed against the city of LA and the former officer in the June 14, 2019, killing of 32-year-old Kenneth French.
[...]
The LAPD fired Sanchez last year after the city's civilian Board of Police Commissioners determined that French's conduct did not present an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury — meaning that the use of lethal force was not "objectively reasonable."

The Riverside County district attorney declined to charge Sanchez criminally when a grand jury didn't indict him. However, the state attorney general charged him with voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

He is awaiting trial.
[...]

 

[mickey2942]

A jury awards $17 million to the parents of a man killed by an LAPD officer in Costco
A jury awards $17 million to the parents of a man killed by an LAPD officer in Costco
October 28, 2021

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A federal jury on Wednesday awarded $17 million to the parents of a mentally ill man who was shot in a Costco store by an off-duty Los Angeles police officer.

The panel in Riverside ruled in a lawsuit filed against the city of LA and the former officer in the June 14, 2019, killing of 32-year-old Kenneth French.
[...]
The LAPD fired Sanchez last year after the city's civilian Board of Police Commissioners determined that French's conduct did not present an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury — meaning that the use of lethal force was not "objectively reasonable."

The Riverside County district attorney declined to charge Sanchez criminally when a grand jury didn't indict him. However, the state attorney general charged him with voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

He is awaiting trial.
[...]

I am still surprised he wasn't discharged sooner from LAPD and charged sooner.

My heart goes out to these parents. People shouldn't get shot at Costco getting samples.

 

[kaen]

RIP Kenneth. You and your family are on a path toward justice. I am glad this man lost his job. We are all safer for that.

 

[Cryptic]

A jury awards $17 million to the parents of a man killed by an LAPD officer in Costco
A jury awards $17 million to the parents of a man killed by an LAPD officer in Costco
October 28, 2021

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A federal jury on Wednesday awarded $17 million to the parents of a mentally ill man who was shot in a Costco store by an off-duty Los Angeles police officer.

I wonder how much the City of Los Angeles is actually going to pay?

Government entities have sovereign immunity. Though they may agree to pay settlements for a variety of reasons, they cannot actually be forced to pay anything.

Rather, they simply take jury awards "under advisement" and then determine their next course of action.

My guess is that they will wait for the criminal trial to play out. If Sanchez is found criminally not guilty, any settlement offered by the city could shrink.

I am still surprised he wasn't discharged sooner from LAPD and charged sooner.

A grand jury refused to indict him. Though he could have still been charged, many prosecutors can be very hesitant to pursue charges after failing a grand jury level as it indicates (but does not dictate) that local juries will not convict.

A former DA in my large urban county had a policy where all self defense shootings outside of a home had to be referred to the grand jury- no matter the circumstances.

This policy was due to the fact that Dallas had a history giving self defense claims different reviews depending on who was making them- and the DA wanted that eliminated. But.... he never prosecuted a case that was rejected by the grand jury.

 

[Rikissa]

19 January 2024:

Jury deadlocked in trial of ex-LAPD officer accused of shooting 3 people in Corona Costco

The jury presiding over the case of an ex-officer accused of shooting three people inside a Corona Costco is deadlocked over their potential decision.

www.cbsnews.com

Mistrial.
13 February 2024:

After mistrial, ex-LAPD cop who fatally shot disabled man in Corona Costco won't be retried

Prosecutors won't seek a second trial against former LAPD officer Salvador Sanchez, who fatally shot a disabled man inside a Costco store.

www.latimes.com

No retrial.