County Settles With Family of Woman Killed by Officers

The family of a woman slain during a 1984 gunfight between her relatives and two sheriff’s deputies has agreed to an $850,000 settlement, believed to be the largest ever paid by Orange County, officials said.

A portion of the settlement was placed in an annuity account that will generate nearly $2 million for the 4-year-old son of Deanna Slender of North Tustin. Slender was shot to death by Deputy Leon Bennigsdorf.

The remainder of the money was split between Slender’s husband, Charles, and his two brothers.

The incident began when Bennigsdorf spotted Charles Slender driving erratically on the night of June 27, 1984. He followed the car to Slender’s home and pulled up outside when Slender drove into the driveway. Deputy Ben Stripe arrived minutes later as a backup.

Family members said Deanna Slender, 23, told her brother-in-law Steve to go outside and help because she recognized the deputy as one who had given her husband a traffic citation a month earlier and who had poked him in the side. She and another brother-in-law, Monte, went out moments later.

During a struggle that erupted between the brothers and the deputies, Stripe’s gun fell to the ground. Charles Slender picked it up. When his wife grabbed his arm, a shot fired into the air.

Bennigsdorf then fired four shots that killed Deanna Slender and wounded her husband. Charles Slender then fired once at Bennigsdorf, striking him in the face.

Charles Slender was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder; his two brothers were arrested on suspicion of assault on a police officer.

All of the charges against the brothers were dismissed in 1986 by a judge who said the deputies had used excessive force and the brothers’ response had been that “of reasonable men, under the circumstances.”

John Oskins, Orange County’s claims manager, said he believes the settlement was the largest ever issued by the county to resolve a lawsuit.

The total amount includes a partial settlement reached last year in which the county paid $500,000 and the family agreed to dismiss litigation against the two deputies.

Earlier this week, attorneys for the Slender family agreed to the $350,000, dismissing further litigation against the county. That amount was paid by the county’s insurance carrier.