First of two parts
Disappointed, if not stunned, by yesterday’s jury decision to award $8.8 million to the survivors of a Culver City officer-involved fatal shooting, City Hall officials at mid-day were pondering their options:
To appeal the apparent record amount or pay up.
At this early hour, there are no clear indications which way experts will counsel the City Council to decide.
“We may have an item on our closed session agenda on Monday,” said Councilman Andy Weissman, an attorney.
Theoretically, a verdict could be reached that early.
In the coming days – probably collectively beginning on Monday – the decision will be debated among City Atty. Carol Schwab, attorney Steve Rothans, who represented the city in the three-year-old case where Officer Luis Martin shot and killed a robbery suspect, Lejoy Grissom, 27, who turned out to be unarmed, Police Chief Don Pedersen, City Manager John Nachbar and the City Council.
The Council will take the decisive vote at a still-unknown date.
Mr. Weissman called the $8.8 million “a distressingly large amount.”
The U.S. District Court jury pondered its decision for a short period before deciding that $2 million should be granted, by the City of Culver City, to each of Mr. Grissom’s four children.
(To be continued)
