PALMDALE – Attorney Legal Counsel

OC DA Spitzer slams Gascón for ruling out death penalty against alleged cop killer

attorneylegalcounsel99 — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:42:42 +0000

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LASD deputy shot in patrol car

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was shot while on duty in their patrol car outside the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station. The deputy was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – Orange County District attorney Todd Spitzer released a statement in response to Los Angeles District attorney George Gascón’s announcement of charges in the killing of LA County Sheriff’s Department deputy, who was slain in Palmdale on Saturday, Sept. 16.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 20, Gascón announced that he would seek the “maximum penalty allowable under the law” for Kevin Salazar, the man suspected of killing Clinkunbroomer. Gascón, who charged Salazar with one count of murder, vowed to seek “life without the possibility of parole” during Wednesday’s press conference.

Spitzer said that Gascón’s statement was a “lie,” in his response posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday, Sept. 21.

“The death penalty still exists in California – no matter how much George Gascón and Gov. Gavin Newsom want to pretend it doesn’t,” said Spitzer in his statement. “In fact, California law allows the death penalty to be sought if a police officer is murdered.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspect arrested in LASD deputy’s killing

Kevin Salazar was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer in Palmdale. Officials said they want Salazar prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, while his family said he was mentally ill.

The OC district attorney went on to say that Gascón had already decided that “the deputy’s death wasn’t worth going through the special circumstances analysis,” a process by which officials decide whether a suspect should receive the death penalty or life without parole.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Gascón: Ryan Clinkunbroomer was a superstar deputy

Los Angeles County District attorney George Gascón spoke on the death of deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was believed to be shot execution-style.

By doing so, Spitzer said that Gascón “cares about sparing the life of the executioner,” more than the “newly engaged lawman” who was left “bleeding to death behind the steering wheel.”

Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was shot and killed Saturday, Sept. 16, after a vehicle approached his patrol car near the Palmdale Station, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

Surveillance video from the scene appeared to show a black vehicle pull up alongside the patrol car. No shots are visible, but the car is seen speeding away while the deputy’s cruiser rolls slightly forward before coming to a stop.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ryan Clinkunbroomer’s fiance reacts to shooting

Brittany Lindsey, the grieving fiance of Ryan Clinkunbroomer, speaks on the shooting that killed her would-be husband.

After a good Samaritan found Clinkunbroomer unconscious in his patrol car, he was rushed to Antelope Valley Medical Center in Lancaster, where he later died.

The suspect, later identified as Salazar, was arrested Monday morning after a standoff with authorities at the home he shared with his family in Palmdale, according to authorities.

“While law enforcement officers across the nation grieve the loss of yet another officer murdered in the line of duty,” said Spitzer, “They too must cope with the knowledge that justice for the men and women behind the badge is nowhere to be found the Los Angeles County Hall of Justice – as long as George Gascón is the district attorney.”

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Family of Los Angeles deputy killed in ambush shooting plans to sue county over forced overtime

attorneylegalcounsel99 — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 07:56:56 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The parents of a Los Angeles County deputy who was shot and killed while sitting in his patrol car plan to file a lawsuit accusing the sheriff’s department and county leaders of putting law enforcement officers at risk by making them work excessive overtime because of severe understaffing, an attorney announced Tuesday.

Investigators said Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, 30, was ambushed Sept. 16 while waiting for a traffic light to change in Palmdale, a city of more than 167,000 residents in the high desert of northern LA County.

“I don’t want any parent to ever have to sit at a Thanksgiving or holiday dinner with someone missing, like we had to this year,” the deputy’s mother, Kim Clinkunbroomer, said tearfully at a news conference.

“Had he not been fatigued and exhausted, he would have responded safely; he’d be here today,” said the deputy’s father, Michael Clinkunbroomer.

Clinkunbroomer had racked up 69 hours of overtime in the two weeks leading up to the shooting and had worked a double shift the day before, said attorney Brad Gage, who represents the slain deputy’s parents. Clinkunbroomer was so exhausted from being overworked that his senses were dulled and he missed “the telltale signs” of an impending ambush, Gage said.

Prosecutors have charged Kevin Cataneo Salazar, 29, with one count of murder, plus special circumstance allegations of murder of a peace officer, murder committed by lying in wait, murder committed by firing from a car and personal use of a firearm. Cataneo Salazar has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

Gage said in a government claim filed Monday that Clinkunbroomer was forced to work up to 100 hours of overtime each month. Gage accuses Sheriff Robert Luna, department officials and county leaders of knowingly endangering the lives of law enforcement officers by enforcing excessive amounts of mandatory overtime.

The claim is the precursor to a wrongful death lawsuit and names the county sheriff’s department and Board of Supervisors. County officials have 45 days to respond to the claim before a lawsuit can be filed.

Gage said the lawsuit would seek $20 million in damages and changes to sheriff’s department staffing and scheduling policies.

In a statement Tuesday, the sheriff’s department did not comment on the potential lawsuit. Luna, who was sworn in as sheriff a year ago, has previously vowed to make increasing the number of deputies a priority.

“The senseless ambush murder of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was the epitome of evil and the Department continues to mourn his death. We lost a valued member of our Department family who was committed to serving our communities,” the department statement said. “The Sheriff’s Department remains committed to securing a successful prosecution against the individual responsible for Ryan’s murder. Our thoughts continue to remain with the entire Clinkunbroomer family.”

Law enforcement officers and members of the public are at risk because “fatigue resulting from these demanding work schedules impairs the deputies’ ability to stay alert and respond effectively in the line of duty,” the claim states.

“Sheriff Luna and the Board of Supervisors knew of the dangers to their employees as a result of intentionally forcing overtime, but intentionally pursued such actions in conscious disregard of the rights and safety of deputies,” Gage writes in the claim.

The Board of Supervisors did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the allegations.

“Everybody likes to work a bit of overtime, to earn a bit of extra money, but they don’t want to work so much overtime that they’re unable to take care of themselves and others,” said Gage, the family’s attorney.

The head of the deputies’ union said limited staffing is an ongoing problem in Los Angeles, but did not respond to specific questions about average overtime worked by its members.

“The department’s staffing crisis is pushing our deputies to, and sadly sometimes beyond, their limits. We need our elected officials to take a more aggressive and intelligent approach to addressing the department’s inability to recruit and retain qualified people,” said a statement from Rich Pippin, president of the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs. “Failure to do so can only result in more tragic outcomes, not only for our deputy sheriffs, but for the millions of people who rely on them for protection.”

The Police Executive Research Forum in Washington, D.C., tracks staffing problems at law enforcement agencies nationwide. “What you’re seeing in LA, you’re seeing across the country,” said Chuck Wexler, the forum’s executive director. “It’s a huge issue.”

Wexler said Tuesday that fewer young people want to work in law enforcement and current police officers are retiring and resigning faster than they can be replaced. The result is more overtime for officers and deputies currently on the job.

“And what you’re finding is increased overtime, for some officers, is contributing to them leaving their jobs,” Wexler said. “It’s a generational thing. Younger officers would rather have more free time than overtime.”

Prosecutors haven’t laid out a motive in the criminal case or said whether Clinkunbroomer and Cataneo Salazar previously knew each other.

Authorities said the deputy was “targeted” but would not say whether Cataneo Salazar was seeking to harm Clinkunbroomer specifically or any member of law enforcement generally.

Cataneo Salazar allegedly followed Clinkunbroomer just before 6 p.m. as he left the sheriff’s Palmdale Station, the district attorney’s office said in a September news release.

The deputy was “waiting for a red light to turn” when he was shot, Luna said at the time.

Cataneo Salazar was arrested after an hourslong standoff with sheriff’s deputies. He had barricaded himself inside his family’s Palmdale home.

His mother, Marle Salazar, told the Los Angeles Times her son was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic about five years ago. He would say he was hearing voices in his head, she said, and sometimes claimed that cars or people were following him. He twice attempted suicide and had been hospitalized at least once, she said.

The post Family of Los Angeles deputy killed in ambush shooting plans to sue county over forced overtime appeared first on Attorney Legal Counsel.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy dies after being shot in patrol car by unknown suspect

attorneylegalcounsel99 — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 15:43:03 +0000

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:45:57 GMT (1694961957211)

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00da48b76bb827f84f5becfbd5d5b07ca34f3416

by Associated Press

Sun, September 17th 2023, 2:43 PM UTC

This undated photo provided by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shows its Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer. (Los Angeles County Sheriffâs Department via AP)

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The post Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy dies after being shot in patrol car by unknown suspect appeared first on Attorney Legal Counsel.