City Told to Pay $150,000 to Woman Raped by Officer

A Los Angeles jury Friday awarded $150,000 to a Northridge woman who sued the city after being raped by an on-duty Los Angeles policeman in 1981.

Jurors spent two days deliberating, then decided 10 to 2 in favor of the woman, a 31-year-old mother of two.

In addition to the city, she sued the ex-policeman, Leigh B. Schroyer, who was convicted of the rape in 1982. He did not respond to the suit. Superior Court Judge Carlos E. Velarde awarded another $300,000 in damages to the woman in a judgment against Schroyer. But her lawyer, Vann Slatter, said he does not expect to collect from Schroyer.

Slatter said the verdict showed that “there is no toleration for that kind of conduct in the community.” Slatter had asked for $500,000.

Assistant City Atty. Flora Trostler, who defended the city in court, said the award was too high. She said the city will decide later whether to appeal.

Woman Tells of Problems

The woman told jurors that she acquired a drinking problem, gained 75 pounds and became a virtual recluse because of the assault. The city contended that her emotional problems were the result of a divorce and a 1975 rape.

At the end of the three-week trial, Judge Velarde instructed the jury that state law holds employers responsible for any illegal conduct of their employees occurring “in the course and scope of their employment.”

The case did not involve “deep pockets” liability, which allows an injured party to collect full damages from the defendant that is able to pay, regardless of its share of blame. The question before the jury, Velarde said, was whether Schroyer was acting in the scope of his duties when the assault happened.

Schroyer served 18 months in prison for the crime. Schroyer had stopped the woman on suspicion of drunk driving. He offered to give her a ride and raped her in her house, a jury found. Since his release he has moved out of the state, Slatter said.

Jurors said afterward that they considered awarding amounts from $25,000 to $500,000. Jury foreman Carlos Rivera, who voted against finding the city liable, said he believed that Schroyer “stepped out of his role as a policeman” when he entered the woman’s apartment.