Law Office of Michael J. Curls

The Law Office of Michael J. Curls secured a $4.5M Wrongful Death Plaintiff's Verdict in the matter Lucero v. County of Kern!!

After three and a half weeks of trial and five hours of deliberation, a unanimous jury found that the the County of Kern, the Kern County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Ryan Greer, Deputy Daniel Willis, Deputy Angelo Gonzalez and Deputy Jonathan Juden were liable to Plaintiffs Florencio Lucero and Lilia Lucero for the decedent, Jose R. Lucero's  wrongful death and negligent infliction of emotional distress of the decedent's parents resulting in an award of $4.5M in total damages.

On December 18, 2010, decedent Jose R. Lucero, a recent parolee with a history of assaultive behavior against law enforcement and family members, called 911 claiming a woman in Lancaster was being assaulted.  Deputies Ryan Greer, Angelo Gonzalez, Daniel Willis and Jonathan Juden from the Kern County Sheriff's Department were called to the scene in response to the 911 calls.  Jose Lucero refused to provide information to the deputies and continued to make 911 calls.  Witnesses testified that Jose Lucero appeared to be mentally unstable either as the result of methamphetamine use or a prior head injury.  The deputies decided to take Jose Lucero into custody for abuse of the 911 system.  In an attempt to arrest Jose Lucero, the deputies beat him with batons, TASERED and pepper sprayed the decedent.  The decedent's elderly parents Florencio Lucero and Lilia Lucero were present during the incident.  The decdent went into cardiac arrest shortly after being placed into handcuffs and was pronounced dead upon arrival at Antelope Valley Medical Center.

23 ABC News:  Rosamond Family Awarded $4.5M in Wrongful Death Suit Against Four Deputies

Bakersfield Californian:  Family Wins $4.5M in Wrongful Death Suit Against County

Denver Post:  California Family wins $4.5 in Wrongful Death Suit

CECIL RAY ELKINS, JR.:

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KERN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY RYAN GREER IDENTFIED AS ONE OF THE OFFICERS PRESENT DURING THE BEATING DEATH OF DAVID SILVA!!

Kern County Sheriff Asks FBI to Investigate Man's Beating Death

Areas of Practice

• Criminal
• Civil Rights
  
• Employment Law
• Sexual Harassment
• Race, Sex, Gender, Religion and Sexual Orientation Discrimination
• Retaliation
• Wrongful Termination
  
• Probate & Estate Planning