Three Los Angeles Police Department officers who shot and killed an unarmed man on live television in 2013 will not face criminal charges, prosecutors say.
The officers — Armando Corral, Leonardo Ortiz and Michael Ayala — were led on pursuit across southeast L.A. County and downtown L.A. by Brian Beaird, a 51-year-old National Guard veteran, on the night of Dec. 13, 2013. The automobile chase ended when Beaird crashed his car into another vehicle.
When Beaird exited the vehicle, he was shot with a barrage of bullets. The shooting was caught live on television during a news broadcast. Beaird’s 80-year-old father watched the horrifying incident as it occurred.
From the LA Times:
A Jan. 29 letter from Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, released Monday, states there was “insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt” that Officers Armando Corral, Leonardo Ortiz and Michael Ayala “did not act in self-defense and in the defense of others” when they fatally shot Brian Beaird, a 51-year-old National Guard veteran.
Beck must now decide what punishment to give the officers.
In August, the Los Angeles City Council approved a $5-million settlement with Beaird’s family, marking the largest payout the city had made in a police shooting case in at least a decade.
Although the officers will not face criminal charges, all three have been relieved of duty without pay, pending disciplinary action.
SOURCE: LA Times | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
