$2.1-Million Award in Death Suit Overturned

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has reversed a $2.1-million jury award to the family of a victim of assault and robbery who died in police custody six years ago, ruling that the evidence did not support the finding of liability.

The jurors had reached their verdict March 29, at the end of a three-week trial during which witnesses testified that police responding to the May 19, 1979, call thought that Jerry Eugene Wright Jr., 20, was under the influence of drugs. They also testified that paramedics failed to examine him.

An autopsy showed that Wright, who had been beaten and robbed near his Southwest Los Angeles home in the 3900 block of Coco Avenue, died of “massive intravascular sickling” caused by sickle cell disorder.

According to the family’s wrongful-death suit, Wright’s mother, sister and brother watched helplessly as Wright, handcuffed and lying face down in the dirt, “went progressively into a comatose state and died before their eyes.”

In his ruling, Judge Julius A. Leetham acknowledged that the events of that morning were “starkly tragic for the family members” and that there might have been “some insensitivity” on the part of Los Angeles police officers.

Appeal Filed

“However,” he stated, “this court, after the most soul-searching and meticulous review of the evidence of this case, cannot justify a determination of liability.”

Alvin Michaelson, the family’s attorney, said Wednesday that he is “very confident of success” on appeal of the case, which he said he filed after learning of Leetham’s reversal earlier this week.

Michaelson said that the judge’s decision “is absolutely unsupported by the evidence, by the facts of the case,” but he added that it was not totally unexpected.

“If you had sat through the course of the trial, you would not be surprised (at the judge’s reversal),” Michaelson said. “His action was consistent with his actions during the trial. It was obvious where his sympathies were.”

Leetham, whose court is dark this week, could not be reached for comment.

Named as defendants in the case, along with the City of Los Angeles, were Police Officer Robert Saurman and Fire Department Paramedic Daniel Maloney.

Deputy City Atty. Dan Woodard handled the case for the city.