By Brendan P. Bartholomew
When San Mateo County sheriff's Deputy Menh Trieu shot and killed
Yanira Serrano-Garcia in June as the mentally ill teen approached him
brandishing a knife, he acted lawfully, according to District Attorney
Steve Wagstaffe.
While no criminal charges will be filed against the deputy,
18-year-old Serrano-Garcia's family has sued the county, alleging
negligence and civil-rights violations. Sheriff's Office officials say
they want all their deputies to complete a training program on handling
incidents involving persons with mental illness that could prevent
similar tragedies, but it may be a long time before all personnel have
received the training.
The June 3 shooting occurred after Tony Serrano-Garcia phoned 911
requesting medical intervention for his sister, Yanira, saying her
schizophrenia was causing her to act erratically. When Trieu approached
the family's Half Moon Bay apartment, a knife-wielding Yanira
Serrano-Garcia chased the deputy 157 feet before he fatally shot her,
according to Wagstaffe's investigation.
Although Wagstaffe determined that Trieu acted in justifiable
self-defense and within Sheriff's Office policy, the district attorney
noted that his conclusion would be inadmissible in the pending civil
suit.
The family's attorney, Arnoldo Casillas, claims negligence was a
factor before Trieu arrived at the scene. Casillas claims the emergency
dispatcher who fielded Tony Serrano-Garcia's call was a trainee, and
that a recording of the call reveals somebody was whispering questions
to the dispatcher while he spoke to the brother.
Read more...
Submitted by Brendan Bartholomew
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