Litigation to compensate the two women for the wounds and mental anguish they suffered from the more than 100 rounds fired at them by seven LAPD cops, is sure to follow.
CHRISTOPHER DORNER FALLOUT: INJURED TORRANCE NEWSPAPER CARRIERS GET $40,000 FOR NEW TRUCK
By Larry Altman and Rick Orlov
Torrance Daily Breeze
March 15, 2013
Two women injured when Los Angeles police officers mistakenly opened fire on them as they delivered newspapers in Torrance during the first chaotic hours in the hunt for ex-cop Christopher Dorner will receive $40,000 from the city to replace their bullet-riddled truck.
Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, who was shot in the back, will receive the cash following a settlement reached Thursday between their attorney, Glen Jonas, and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.
"We think this is fair and we are pleased to be able to resolve this portion," Trutanich said at a City Hall news conference to announce the settlement.
Under the agreement, the city does not admit any liability that could be used in a future civil case stemming the Feb. 7 shooting.
Jonas also agreed to waive about $25,000 of his fees in order to resolve the dispute over the women's blue Toyota Tacoma.
The women found themselves under attack at 5 a.m., just more than an hour after Dorner shot three Riverside County police officers, killing one, as he set out to take revenge for his 2009 termination from the Los Angeles Police Department. Dorner was driving a gray Nissan Titan.
Seven Los Angeles police officers protecting the Redbeam Avenue home of a high-ranking department official involved in Dorner's dismissal opened fire on the women's truck, apparently mistaking it for Dorner. The women's attorney said more than 100 rounds were fired. Hernandez was struck twice in the back. Carranza was cut by broken glass.
Moments later, Torrance police officers responding to the LAPD gunfire collided with a truck that they believed might be Dorner leaving the shooting scene. A Torrance officer fired three shots into the truck when he believed someone inside was shooting at him. The Redondo Beach driver was not hit.
In the days that followed, Los Angeles Police Chief
Charlie Beck called the Redbeam Avenue shooting a tragic mistake and took the officers off street duty. A spokeswoman for the District Attorney's Office said the shooting remains under review, along with the shooting involving the Torrance department.
But Beck also promised the women a new truck and, as of this week, hadn't delivered. Although attorneys for the city and the women held talks, and a donor came forward to provide the truck, the delivery stalled.
An arrangement was reached with Bert Boeckmann, owner of Galpin Motors, who agreed to provide a new vehicle, but Jonas rejected the offer, saying it would result in a $10,000 tax bill for the women, something they could not afford.
Trutanich, who is in a May 21 runoff campaign for Los Angeles city attorney, said this week that he believed the two sides could reach agreement to provide money to purchase a new vehicle.
Also pushing for a deal was City Councilman Dennis Zine, who is in a runoff for the post of city controller. Zine said he called Trutanich to urge him to make a deal after he heard discussions had stalled.
Jonas said he was "pleased to get this relatively minor aspect of litigation behind us because it drained too much time and resources."
Jonas, however, is not done. He has said he hopes the city will compensate the women for the ordeal or face litigation.
"Now that we have the relatively minor step one resolved, we can get to step two, which is a more important issue," Jonas said. "At least we are moving in the right direction. "
Jonas said if no agreement is reached, "I will be screaming bloody murder. "
"They aren't doing well," the attorney said. "There is a lot of emotional damage they are suffering in addition to the physical. "
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