Attorney: Video 'Clearly Depicts' Corvette Driver Shot While Walking Away
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The family of a disabled veteran who was fatally shot by police following a high-speed pursuit last week announced Friday the filing of a $20 million lawsuit.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports an attorney for the family of 51-year-old Brian Newt Beaird said in a statement the shooting was "particularly egregious" since Beaird's family witnessed the fatal shooting on live television.
Attorney: Family Witnessed Fatal Shooting Of Corvette Driver On Live TV
Beaird, 51, of Oceanside, died at a hospital Dec. 13 about 45 minutes after the chase ended around 10:30 p.m. near the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Los Angeles Street, authorities said.
Beaird was shot by LAPD officers as he got out of a silver Corvette, which was badly damaged, smoking and wedged between poles on a sidewalk after crashing into another vehicle at the end of the chase.
Dale Galipo, the family's attorney, told KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo that three officers fired between 15 and 20 rounds at the unarmed Beaird after he appeared to flee from his recently purchased 2013 Corvette.
Galipo flatly denied the officers' account of events.
"I believe the evidence will come out that will show it did not happen that way," Galipo said. "I think that, as usual, some of the officers completely overreacted. They started to fire at this person for no good reason."
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck announced Thursday that the three officers had been placed on paid administrative leave after a preliminary investigation. Beck told KNX 1070's Claudia Peschuitta he was "very concerned" about the circumstances that led up to the shooting.
In a statement, Galipo claimed video footage of the shooting "clearly depicts that Brian was shot in the back when he was walking away from the officers with his hands raised," but denied the lawsuit was simply about money.
"Police officers don't pay a dollar out of their own pocket, they never lose their job, they're never demoted and often promoted, and there's no criminal prosecution," he said.
Galipo announced the filing of the lawsuit in front of LAPD Headquarters located at 100 West 1st Street.
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