Police Misconduct and Other Civil Rights Case Results

Here is a sampling of some of the police brutality, false arrest and malicious prosecution cases handled by Jerry L. Steering:

  • Markwell v. City of Huntington Beach, Orange County Superior Court, $40,000.00 settlement for excessive force (1987);
  • Goodwin v. City of Stanton, U.S. District Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (1988), $100,000.00 settlement for false arrest;
  • Hands v. City of Laguna Beach, Orange County, California, Superior Court (1989), $137,500.00 settlement, for false arrest and excessive force;
  • Voss v. City of Laguna Beach, Orange County Superior Court (1989), $35,000.00 award for false arrest;
  • Farahani v. City of Santa Ana, U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana) (1990), $612,000.00 jury verdict for excessive force, for baton strike to head;
  • Kieswetter v. City of Laguna Beach, Orange County Superior Court (1991), $75,000.00 settlement for unreasonable force;
  • Guillen v. City of Santa Ana, U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (1992)(L.A.), $75,000.00 settlement following acquittal of criminal charges of resisting and assaulting peace officer;
  • In Re Richard P., U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(1992), $450,000.00 settlement for false arrest, malicious prosecution and excessive force, following jury verdict of acquittal in state court criminal action for resisting peace officer and assault and battery on peace officer;
  • Lobsinger v. City of Stanton, Orange County Superior Court (1993), $50,000.00 arbitration award for excessive force;
  • Burks v. County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Superior Court (1993), $30,000.00 settlement for false arrest;
  • Garcia v. City of Huntington Beach, Orange County, California, Superior Court (1994), $140,000.00 settlement following plaintiff’s jury verdict for 8 minute false arrest;
  • Garcia v. City of Santa Ana, U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(1994), $25,000.00 settlement for false arrest;
  • Bautista v. City of Huntington Beach, U.S. Dist. Court, Central District of Cal. (Santa Ana) (1994), $42,500.00 settlement for unlawful detention during warrant execution;
  • Tualaulelei v. City of Compton, U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (L.A.) (1995), $6,000,000.00 structured settlement for wrongful death police shooting in Compton, California;
  • Morgan v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Riverside), (1996), $714,000.00 settlement following jury verdict for excessive force and false arrest during search warrant execution in Victorville, California;
  • August v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., Orange County, California, Superior Court (1997),$80,000.00 settlement with bail agents for unlawful entry into home and unlawful detention;
  • Gallard v. City of Los Angeles, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (L.A.) (1998), $82,000.00 settlement for wrongful eviction by LAPD officers;
  • Oschmann v. County of Orange, et al., U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(1998), $30,000.00 settlement for unlawful seizure of person;
  • Lopez v. County of Orange, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(1999), $50,000.00 settlement for false arrest and excessive force;
  • Ansari v. City of Laguna Beach, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(1999), $30,000.00 settlement for unlawful gunpoint detention;
  • Darr v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Riverside)(2000), $50,000.00 settlement for violation of first amendment right to freedom of association;
  • Sharp v. City of Garden Grove, Orange County, California, Superior Court, (2000), $1,010,000.00 jury verdict, 45 minute detention of father of parolee;
  • Corugedo v. City of Los Angeles, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (L.A.)(2000), $100,000.00 settlement for unlawful entry into home and seizure of minor;
  • Gardner v. AMR, U.S. Dist. Court, Cent. Dist. of Cal. (L.A.) (2001), $650,000.00 settlement of wrongful death, for failure to provide ambulance;
  • Austin v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, $500,000.00 jury verdict for false arrest and excessive force;
  • Keaty v. City of Huntington Beach, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (L.A.) (2002), $70,000.00 settlement for harassment by police officer);
  • Lopez v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Riverside) (2002), $50,000.00 settlement for racially motivated battery;
  • Morales v. City of Bell Gardens, U.S. District Court Cent. Dist. Cal. (L.A.)(2003), $120,000.00 settlement for excessive force and false arrest;
  • Miller v. City of San Bernardino, et al., U.S. Dist. Court Cent. Dist. of Cal. (Riverside) (2003), $35,000.00 settlement for unlawful detention;
  • Calderon v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. Dist. Court, Central Dist. of Cal. (Riverside)(2003), $115,000.00 settlement for false arrest and illegal search;
  • Johnson v. County of Orange, U.S. Dist. Court (Santa Ana) (2003), $95,000.00 settlement for false arrest;
  • Baima v. County of Orange, U.S. Dist. Court, Central Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(2004), $208,000.00 settlement for false arrest and excessive force;
  • Alvarez v. City of L.A., U.S. Dist. Court Central District of California (2004), $850,000.00 settlement for false arrest, malicious prosecution and withholding exculpatory evidence;
  • Arroyo v. City of San Bernardino, U.S. Dist. Court, Central Dist. of Cal. (Riverside)(2004), $125,000.00 settlement for unreasonable seizure of person;
  • Jane Doe v. City of Irvine, et al., U.S. District Court, Central District of Cal. (Santa Ana)(2005), $400,000.00 settlement for sexual battery by police officer;
  • Mansfield v. City of Costa Mesa, U.S. Dist. Court, Central Dist. of Cal. (Santa Ana)(2006), $225,000.00 settlement for unreasonable shooting of family pit bull and for unlawful seizure of person;
  • King v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., U.S. District Court Central District of California (Santa Ana)(2006), $38,500.00 settlement for wrongful shooting of pit bull;
  • Risk v. Cathedral City, U.S. District Court Central District of Cal. (Riverside)(2006), $125,000.00 settlement for false arrest / excessive force;
  • Howden v. City of Anaheim, et al, U.S. District Court Central District of California (Santa Ana)(2007), $90,000.00 settlement for false arrest and false personnel claim against police officer;
  • In re Jamie J., U.S. District Court Central District of Cal. (Riverside)(2007), $75,000.00 settlement for false arrest / excessive force;
  • Ford v. County of San Bernardino, (2007), $80,000.00 settlement for excessive force;
  • In re Jane Doe v. County of San Bernardino, et al., (2008), $290,000.00 settlement (prior to filing lawsuit) for sexually motivated mistreatment of arrestee;
  • Chamberlain v. County of Orange, et al. (2008), $600,000.00 settlement for wrongful death / interference with parent – child relationship / failure to protect inmate in County Jail facility;
  • Rexford Newman v. County of Orange, U.S. District Court – Santa Ana (2008), $49,999.00 for unreasonable force and false arrest;
  • Munoz v. County of Orange, et al., U.S. District Court Central District of California (Santa Ana) (2008), $40,000.00 settlement (following plaintiff’s jury verdict) for battery of inmate at Orange County Jail;
  • Garcia v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. District Court – Riverside (2008), $95,000.00 settlement for failure to protect inmate at Glen Helen Jail;
  • Diaz v. County of San Bernardino, et al. , United States District Court – Riverside (2008), $49,999.00 settlement for excessive force;
  • Vera v. County of Riverside, et al., United States District Court – Riverside (2009) $199,000.00 settlement (part structured) for unreasonable force / infliction of emotional distress;
  • Grasso v. County of San Bernardino, et al. (2009), $180,000.00 settlement for unreasonable force / infliction of emotional distress;
  • Santos v. City of Garden Grove, et al., United States District Court, Central District of Cal. (Santa Ana) (2009), $475,000.00 settlement for false arrest, malicious prosecution and unreasonable force;
  • Turner v. County of Orange, U.S. Dist. Court, Central District of Cal. (Santa Ana)(2009), $200,000.00 settlement for false arrest and unreasonable force;
  • Torres v. County of Riverside, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Riverside)(2010), $500,000.00 settlement for unreasonable force;
  • Cortez v. City of Anaheim, Orange County Superior Court (2010), $300,000.00 settlement for placing private citizen bystander in position of danger, and negligent infliction of emotional distress;
  • Torrance v. County of Orange et al., U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Santa Ana)(2010), $380,000.00 settlement for unreasonable force and false arrest;
  • Gomez v. County of Orange, et al., U.S. Dist. Court, Central District of California (Los Angeles) (2011), $2,163,799.53, settlement (part structure) for unreasonable force [wrongful death] of convicted jail inmate;
  • Chynoweth v. County of Riverside et al.,Riverside County Superior Court (2011), $750,000.00 settlement for unreasonable force;
  • Moore, et al. v. City of Desert Hot Springs, Riverside County Superior Court (2012), $825,000.00 (trial settlement) for excessive force and false arrest;
  • Aubry v. County of San Bernardino, et al, U.S. Dist. Court (LA) 2012, $325,000.00 settlement for the use of unreasonable force and for false arrest;
  • Lorenzo Oliver v. City of Anaheim, U.S. District Court (Santa Ana) 2012; $400,000.00 settlement following win on liability in Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (See Police Misconduct News; or click above on “Police Misconduct News”) for false arrest (“Possum Impossible”; CBS News; Neil Chayet “Looking at the Law”);
  • Parnell v. County of Riverside, U.S. District Court (L.A.) 2013; $250,000.00 at trial for unreasonable force and unlawful search; and
  • Trent v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2013; $600,000.00 settlement for unreasonable force and unlawful seizure of person;
  • Butano v. County of Orange; U.S. District Court (L.A.) 2014; $727,500.00 final settlement for false arrest and unreasonable force;
  • Holley v. County of Riverside, U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2014; $500,000.00 settlement for false arrest and unreasonable force;
  • Fox v. County of Orange; U.S. District Court (Santa Ana) 2015;$150,000.00 settlement for false arrest and unreasonable force;
  • In Re R.W.; U.S. District Court (Santa Ana) 2015; $465,000.00 settlement for failure to provide medical treatment.
  • Slater v. County of Riverside; U.S. District Court (L.A.); $40,000.00 for unreasonable force on jail inmate.
  • Montano v. USA; U.S. District Court (L.A.) 2015; $500,000.00 for wrongful death of dialysis patient
  • Thomas v. City of Gardena; U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2015; $292,495.00 jury verdict plus attorney’s fees and costs for false arrest
  • Licitra v. County of Riverside, U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2016; $300,000.00 settlement for false arrest / unreasonable force
  • In re Emmanuel W.; U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2016; $200,000.00 settlement for false arrest / unreasonable force
  • Jones v. County of Riverside, U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2016; $300,000.00 settlement for unreasonable seizure of person;
  • Jimenez v. County of San Diego, U.S. District Court (San Diego) 2016; $500,000.00 settlement for excessive force.
  • In re J.M.J.; U.S. District Court (Los Angeles) 2016; $225,000.00 settlement for first amendment retaliation (whistle blowing).
  • In re JOHN DOE v. DOE City; , U.S. District Court (Los Angeles) 2017; $255,000.00 settlement for malicious criminal prosecution, unlawful seizure of person and unreasonable force.
  • A.E. v. City of (confidential), U.S. District Court (Riverside) 2016; $75,000.00 settlement for unreasonable seizure of person;
  • Jones v. County of San Bernardino, U.S. District Court (Los Angeles) 2016; $170,000.00 for false arrest / unreasonable force;
  • Maldonado v. County of Riverside, U.S. District Court (Riverside) $100,000.00 for injury by fellow jail inmate;
  • In re D.D.; U.S. District Court (Los Angeles) 2017; $300,000.00 for false arrest / unreasonable force.
  • VNT Property 1 LLC, et al. v. City of Buena Park, et al.; U.S. District Court (Santa Ana) 2017; $350,000.00 for wrongful seizure of property;
  • Pitt v. County of San Diego, U.S. District Court (San Diego) 2017; $220,000.00 for false arrest; and
  • Segovia v. Cathedral City, U.S. District Court (Los Angeles) 2017; $225,000.00 for false arrest