Escondido

An Oct. 15 trial date in Vista Superior Court has been set to resolve the wrongful death lawsuit filed against the City of Escondido by the surviving family members of Leslie Landersman, a bank robbery hostage who was shot and killed by a policeman nearly two years ago.

A settlement conference is scheduled for Sept. 3, but Richard Brown, the San Francisco attorney representing the Landersman family, said it was unlikely an out-of-court resolution would be reached.

Landersman, a 22-year-old secretary and newlywed, was shot and killed Aug. 26, 1983, by police Officer David DeLange during a shoot-out between police and bank robber Timothy Harding, who abducted Landersman while fleeing police. Harding also was killed by police fire. DeLange, claiming in his own defense that he did not see Landersman when he fired at Harding, was acquitted by a Superior Court jury of manslaughter and received disability retirement from the city.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the city by the woman’s mother, Marlene Cook, and her husband, Mark Landersman. They initiated the legal action against the city by filing a $14 million claim, which was denied by the City Council.