Advertisement

DEA, L. A. Sheriff Urge Suit Dismissal : Courts: They argue that the estate of the reclusive Ventura County millionaire killed in a 1992 drug raid failed to clearly outline a claim for the $200 million sought in damages.

Share
TIMES STAFF WRITER

Attorneys for the U. S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the Los Angeles County sheriff have asked a federal judge to dismiss a civil-rights suit filed against them by the estate of reclusive Ventura County millionaire Donald Scott, who was shot to death in a drug raid at his ranch near Malibu last fall.

U. S. District Court Judge Dickran Tevrizian is expected to rule Friday on whether to dismiss the second amended complaint filed by the Scott estate, the judge’s office said Monday.

The DEA and Los Angeles County argued in court filings that attorneys for Scott’s estate failed to state facts supporting the claim that the officers conspired to violate Scott’s constitutional rights against unlawful searches and unreasonable force.

Advertisement

They also argued that the estate failed to clearly outline a claim for the $200 million in damages the suit seeks.

Authorities said Scott, 61, heir to a European chemicals fortune, was killed in an early morning raid Oct. 2 when he emerged sleepy and drunk from his bedroom and pointed a pistol at Sheriff’s Deputy Gary R. Spencer, who shot him twice.

No drugs were found in the raid.

An investigation by Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury’s office ruled that while Spencer was justified in shooting Scott in self-defense, Spencer should not have been on the ranch in the first place.

Scott’s estate filed suit in federal court in Los Angeles in March, alleging that drug agents killed Scott after conspiring to seize his $5-million, 200-acre ranch through drug-forfeiture laws.

On June 7, Tevrizian dismissed the first version of the complaint. But he left room for Stephen Yagman and Marion Yagman, attorneys for the Scott estate, to file a second amended complaint, which they did several weeks later.

Attorneys for the DEA, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the city of Los Angeles--which provided police dogs for the raid--have since asked the court to dismiss the second complaint.

Advertisement

They argue that the second version of the suit, like the first, failed to give facts supporting the claim that there was a conspiracy to kill Scott and take his ranch.

The complaint “does not allege any conduct whatsoever by the federal defendants upon which relief can be granted,” said the dismissal motion filed by the U. S. attorney’s office on behalf of the DEA and a variety of federal defendants.

So far, the Scott estate has dropped its claims against the city and the DEA agents, except for those against DEA Agent Charles Stowell, whose report of seeing marijuana plants on the Scott property during a helicopter flyover led to the raid.

The estate, however, argues in court filings that the conspiracy charge against the remaining defendants is valid because the drug task force raided Scott’s ranch “knowing that they had a bogus warrant and conducted a search in spite of that.”

The estate also argues that it would be improper for the judge to dismiss the suit without leaving an opportunity to amend it further.

Stephen Yagman declined to comment directly on the case, as did Assistant U. S. Atty. James R. Sullivan. Dennis M. Gonzales, attorney for the county, could not be reached for comment.

Advertisement
Advertisement