Deputies Held Not Negligent in Standoff

A Torrance Superior Court jury has concluded that sheriff’s deputies were not negligent when they failed to warn Lawndale residents that a man ranting about a bomb had barricaded himself inside a nearby office building.

Several residents of an apartment complex across the street from where the suspect, Roy J. Coker, was surrounded on Oct. 27, 1984, sued the Sheriff’s Department after Coker suddenly began firing shots from his office window, killing a woman and seriously injuring a man.

Victim Mark Luna, 45, testified during the three-week civil trial that deputies would not tell him what they were doing in the neighborhood, but that they did say it was safe for him to walk across the complex’s courtyard.

Luna was shot in the elbow when he walked into the courtyard.

Resident Flory Manzano, 48, heard Luna’s screams and opened the door to her apartment after he was shot, witnesses testified. Coker shot and killed her when she entered his line of sight.

Sheriff’s deputies testified during the trial that they do not recall Luna’s ever asking whether the courtyard area was safe. They said they did not evacuate the area in front of Coker’s window because they did not know he was armed.

Coker, who made video and audiotapes of much of the standoff that were played back during the trial, was killed when deputies stormed his office.

“Jurors indicated to us that they felt that the sheriffs were doing the best job they could,” Anthony Nicklin, principal county counsel, said. “The plaintiffs were wonderful people, and it’s a sad day when you have injured people who don’t receive any compensation . . . but, overall, the jury felt we did all that we were required to do.”

Attorney John Julius, who represented Luna and Manzano’s relatives, said he intends to appeal the jury’s decision.

“Two detectives allowed my client to go into an area that they knew was unsafe and they didn’t tell anyone what was going on,” Julius said. “Essentially, you had two civilians testifying to one thing and deputy sheriffs testifying to another and the jury chose to believe the deputies.”