actor Anthony Dwain Lee wrongful-death lawsuit settled for an undisclosed amount
Hoodude
Fri Feb 7,11:45 AM ET
http://makeashorterlink.com/?P3C923363
LOS ANGELES - A wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of an actor
shot to death by a police officer during a Halloween costume party
three years ago has been settled for an undisclosed amount, city
officials said.
City officials would only announce Wednesday that the deal was a
six-figure settlement. The settlement still needs City Council
approval before it is paid out to the actor's family. The terms of the
settlement will become public if the council approves it, said Eric
Moses, spokesman for City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.
"We believe that based on all the evidence and facts presented in the
case, the jury was going to agree with the Police Commission and the
chief of police that the shooting was in policy," Moses said. "That's
been our position all along, and we've always looked out for what's in
the best interest of the city."
Anthony Dwain Lee, a 39-year-old actor, was shot in the back at a
Halloween party on Oct. 28, 2000, by police Officer Tarriel Hopper who
was investigating a noise complaint. An investigation conducted by the
city's Police Commission and the Los Angeles County district
attorney's office showed that Lee pointed a replica handgun at Hopper,
who shone his flashlight into a room where Lee was talking with two
men.
Hopper, who thought the gun was real and feared for his life, fired
four shots and killed Lee. In October, 2001, the Police Commission
ruled that Hopper used justifiable deadly force and was exonerated of
any wrongdoing.
Lee's sister, Tina Lee-Vogt, had sought $100 million from the city
before filing a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Don Steier, lawyer for co-plaintiff Jeff Benton, who was a tenant in
the home where the shooting occurred, said the settlement represents a
victory for the Lee family.
"The city of Los Angeles would not be settling the case with the
estate of Mr. Lee unless it had concluded that the officer had done
something wrong," he said.
Benton's suit, which is still pending, claims that he suffered
post-traumatic stress from the shooting. Benton was standing a few
feet from Lee when the actor was shot. A third bystander, Will Frey,
also has sued the city.
Lee appeared on TV shows such as "ER" and "NYPD Blue (news - Y! TV),"
and had a small role in the 1997 Jim Carrey movie "Liar Liar." Friends
and relatives said Lee, who grew up in Sacramento, escaped from gang
life by turning to acting.
--
If they give you ruled paper, write the other way.
- Juan Ramón Jiménez
Gyumaoh
Cpl. O'Reilly
<dig_infinity!@yahoo.com> wrote:
> "We believe that based on all the evidence and facts presented in the
> case, the jury was going to agree with the Police Commission and the
> chief of police that the shooting was in policy," Moses said. "That's
> been our position all along, and we've always looked out for what's in
> the best interest of the city."
Liar.
J.D. Baldwin
In the previous article, Cpl. O'Reilly <Cpl. O'Reilly> wrote:
> > "We believe that based on all the evidence and facts presented in
> > the case, the jury was going to agree with the Police Commission and
> > the chief of police that the shooting was in policy," Moses
> > said. "That's been our position all along, and we've always looked
> > out for what's in the best interest of the city."
>
> Liar.
No -- "Liar Liar."
--
_+_ From the catapult of |If anyone disagrees with any statement I make, I
_|70|___:)=}- J.D. Baldwin |am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also
\ / bal...@panix.com|to deny under oath that I ever made it. -T. Lehrer
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