Family of Man Who Died in Police Custody Files Claim for Damages, Alleges Involvement of Officer in 2012 Fatal Shooting

The attorney for a man who died in police custody on September 30 said Saturday she has filed a claim for damages which names as respondents the Pasadena Chief of Police, Phillip Sanchez, and two officers — one of whom was involved in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in 2012.

Attorney Caree Harper’s claim on behalf of the family of Reginald “JR” Thomas names Officer Matthew Griffin as among the officers who “piled on” to Thomas after a domestic incidence escalated.

Griffin was one of two officers who shot and killed 19-year-old Kendrec McDade during a pursuit on a darkened Pasadena street in March of 2012. That shooting roiled the community and has been a subject of controversy to this day. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office found the two officers acted lawfully.

Harper represented Kenneth McDade, Kendrec’s father, in legal actions arising from the shooting.

Today, Harper supplied Pasadena Now with a copy of the claim in connection with Thomas’ death.

In the document “personally filed” to the Pasadena City Clerk on Friday, Harper alleges Griffin was one of three officers who arrived as backup after police responded to 911 calls for assistance at a residential complex in the 200 block of East Orange Grove Boulevard on September 30, at about 2:40 a.m.

---

Read the document here

---

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s homicide detectives, who are investigating the case, said earlier that Thomas confronted responding officers carrying a knife under his arm and a fire extinguisher.

Pasadena police tasered Thomas twice and ultimately engaged in a physical struggle before restraining his ankles and handcuffing him. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement investigators said, officers saw that Thomas was not breathing. Despite reported rescue efforts, Thomas died.

In the claim filed on behalf of Thomas’s grandmother and three women with whom Thomas had children, attorney Harper alleges the officers used excessive force on Thomas and failed or delayed to perform CPR and first aid adequately when it became clear that Thomas was in distress.

The claim also alleges that the Pasadena Fire Department paramedics were negligent.

Additionally, the claim alleges that the actions of the police officers and Fire Department personnel constitute federal and State constitutional violations.

Officer Matthew Griffin is specifically accused of “intentional infliction of emotional distress” in the filing.

Law enforcement investigators have not said what caused Thomas to die.

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Capt. Steve Katz said Wednesday that detectives are waiting for the completion of toxicology tests by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner to determine the medical causes of Thomas’ death. An autopsy has already been completed but Katz would not release results to the media.

The 910 Claim for Damages filing is a first step towards in seeking monetary damages from the City of Pasadena for Thomas’ death. The precise amount of damages sought is not specified in the filing, other than to say it is “in excess of $25,000.”

 

[Editor’s Note: This story originally said that attorney Caree Harper represented Kendrec McDade’s mother, Anya Slaughter, during the court case arising from McDade’s death when in fact at the time of the settlement in that case Harper represented McDade’s father, Kenneth.]