Family of unarmed man murdered by police seek $20 million
The family of a man who was shot at killed by Los Angeles police after a high speed chase has filed a $20 million civil claim against the department.
Brian Newt Beaird, 51, died last Friday after leading LAPD on an hour-long chase that started in Cudahy and ended in downtown Los Angeles just past 10 p. m.
After he slammed into a Nissan at the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Los Angeles Street, he exited the car and tried to walk away. According to a preliminary departmental review, LAPD officers then fired 22 shots at him. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. No gun was found at the scene.
[Veteran civil rights lawyer Dale] Galipo, who appeared with the dead man’s brother and father outside downtown police headquarters, said it was fortunate that the incident was caught on video, which he said showed Beaird was “clearly unarmed” and “clearly not reaching in his waistband or pocket.”
Beaird’s brother John said his brother had been talking on the phone with their father who urged him to pull over during the chase. Beaird was found to have suffered from paranoia following the loss of friends in a helicopter crash and brain surgery.
The filing comes one day after LAPD Chief Charlie Beck announced that the three officers involved have been temporarily relieved of patrol duty pending an investigation.
No weapon was recovered at the scene and the LAPD has not released the number of shots fired during the incident.
Should the family sue the department or were the officers appropriately handle the situation given the circumstances?
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