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City Att'y Issues This Statement re Fed'l Court Jury Verdict In Favor Of Defendants City of LB & LBPD Officer In Fatal Shooting of CSULB-Bound Feras Morad


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(July 13, 2018) -- On July 13, the Long Beach City Attorney's office issued this statement regarding yesterday's unanimous federal court jury verdict in favor of defendants City of Long Beach and Long Beach Police Officer Matthew Hernandez

On July 12, 2018, a Federal jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the City of Long Beach and Long Beach Police Officer Matthew Hernandez, rejecting wrongful death claims of excessive force and negligence brought by the parents of Feras Morad.

"This was a tragic case for everyone involved," said City Attorney Charles Parkin. "However, Officer Hernandez was forced to use deadly force as a last resort in a life-threatening situation and the jury found that he acted reasonably," Mr. Parkin said.

On the evening of May 27, 2015, Officer Hernandez was dispatched to assist Long Beach Fire Department personnel who were responding to a 911 call that reported a man had fallen out of a second-story window; the caller also reported that the man was intoxicated and acting violently. Officer Hernandez arrived and was immediately confronted by 20-year-old Feras Morad, the subject of the 911 call. Officer Hernandez tried communicating with Morad, but Morad ignored the officer's directions and commands and kept walking toward the officer in an aggressive manner. Officer Hernandez attempted to control Morad by using a Taser, which had no effect.

Officer Hernandez continued to try and gain control of Morad, but takedowns, an attempt to handcuff, another Taser use, and use of a flashlight strike all failed due to Morad's resistance. When Morad briefly sat down, Officer Hernandez called for emergency back-up. Almost immediately afterwards, and well before back-up could arrive, Morad stood up and walked toward Officer Hernandez with clenched fists. Officer Hernandez repeatedly commanded Morad to "get down," but Morad kept approaching. Hearing Morad say "I'm coming to get you," and fearing that Morad would wrestle him to the ground and kill him with his own gun, Officer Hernandez fired four shots at Morad when Morad got to arm's reach from the officer.

Morad's family filed this federal case against the City and Officer Hernandez alleging that the force used was excessive and unreasonable and claiming that defendants were liable for Morad's death. Attorneys for the City and Officer Hernandez argued that the force used was reasonable and necessary for the protection of the officers and citizens in the area, and that Officer Hernandez had no other option but to shoot.

The jury agreed. After nine days of testimony, the jury deliberated for approximately seven hours before returning the unanimous verdict in favor of defendants.

Deputy City Attorney Howard Russell handled the case for the City; attorneys Peter Ferguson and Kyle Bevan, of Ferguson Praet & Sherman, represented Officer Hernandez. Attorneys Dan Stormer, Joshua Piovia-Scott, and Brian Olney represented plaintiffs...

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As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, on Sept. 12, 2017, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office issued a report on the LBPD officer-involved shooting that killed Mr. Morad, 20, a CSULB-bound award-winning debater. The DA's report included a lengthy and (in our opinion) disturbing narrative of what occurred. The DA's 2017 report can be viewed in full by clicking this link.

The DA's office concluded that the officer involved "had an honest belief in the need for self-defense and defense of others when he used deadly force" against Mr. Morad, and the DA's office found "insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that the officer-involved "committed the crime of voluntary manslaughter with a firearm."

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On July 22, 2015, attorneys for Mr. Morad's family announced the filing of a $28 million [at that time] claim against City of Long Beach. (A claim is prerequisite to filing a lawsuit.)

To view extended video of the July 22, 2015 event (including reporters' Q & A), click here.


July 22, 2015: Attorney Dan Stormer speaks to reporters; Mr. Morad's sister, mother and father also visible in photo (left of Mr. Stormer) also spoke.

The filed claim alleged that "medical emergency personnel did nothing to help the injured, bleeding and disoriented Mr. Morad. Because he was confused and badly injured, the unarmed Mr. Morad did not understand the commands that [the officer] aggressively yelled at him...Mr. Morad was not violent, aggressive or intimidating and did not threaten [the officer.]...Back-up officers were on the way from the nearby [LBPD station.]"

The filed claim alleged that the officer involved in the shooting, plus LBPD, LBFD and the City, among others, violated claimants' rights "due to their negligence, assault and battery of Mr. Morad, inflicting of emotional distress and Mr. Morad's wrongful death...It is further believed that [LBPD, LBFD and City] permit various practices that cause or allow constitutional violations to occur, such as those that caused this case."

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At the July 2015 press event, among the issues raised by reporters was Mr. Morad having allegedly ingested some type of hallucinogenic substance/drug (Q & A begins at 21:00 minutes into the video.) During the Q & A, attorney Dan Stormer didn't deny ingestion of a hallucinogenic substance/drug (said "we don't know exactly they [drugs] got in his system") but emphatically denied as "hogwash" some content in LBPD's news release on the shooting which can be viewed here.

Reactions to the verdict from the family's lawyers will be reported as received.

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