MacDonald’s Mother Files $10-Million Claim

Chad MacDonald’s mother has filed a $10-million claim against the cities of Brea and Yorba Linda, alleging that officials there are responsible for the death of her son after he was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and enlisted to work as a police informant.

At a Friday news conference, Lloyd Charton, Cindy MacDonald’s attorney, said: “Ten million dollars will not replace Cindy’s son, but it should send a message about not abusing our children.”

The cities have 45 days to respond to the claim, filed Thursday. If it is rejected, Charton said, lawsuits will be filed.

Leonard A. Hampel, attorney for Yorba Linda, said the cities will probably reject the claim. “The police acted legally and within their discretion,” he said.

Brea City Atty. James L. Markman could not be reached for comment Friday.

Charton has said that MacDonald’s role as a police informant led to his death. But Brea police, who provide law enforcement for neighboring Yorba Linda, have said that MacDonald was not working for them at the time of his death and blame the slaying on the 17-year-old’s involvement with drugs.

Brea police acted “in callous disregard for Chad MacDonald’s safety and used trickery, deceit and coercion” to obtain his mother’s consent to be an informant, Charton said Friday. The attorney said the claim is not about money but about revealing the circumstances leading up to MacDonald’s slaying and forcing police to promise they will discontinue the practice of using juveniles as informants.