Jury Picked in N. Hollywood Shootout Trial

A jury of six men and six women was selected Wednesday to decide the civil case growing out of a North Hollywood bank robbery and bloody televised shootout that left two bandits dead and 11 police officers and seven civilians injured.

Attorney Stephen Yagman sued the city and several police officers on behalf of one of the robbers’ two young sons, alleging that officers prevented Emil Matasareanu from receiving prompt medical attention as he lay handcuffed and bleeding in the street for more than an hour before he died Feb. 28, 1997.

Attorneys for the city and the officers deny those allegations.

The robbers wore body armor and fired 1,100 rounds from their automatic weapons during the 40-minute shootout, broadcast live nationally. Officers returned 500 rounds.

The suit has outraged police, public officials and many ordinary citizens who say that the outgunned officers were heroes for going into battle against automatic weapons, while armed only with handguns.

UCLA’s chief of emergency medicine has said that Matasareanu could have survived his wounds had he received prompt medical treatment. The central issue in the trial is whether police deliberately were indifferent to Matasareanu’s medical needs.

U.S. District Court Judge Christina A. Snyder has scheduled argument today on a motion to quash or modify the subpoena of a Times photographer who photographed Matasareanu as he lay on the ground alive.

Opening arguments are scheduled today. Snyder estimated that the trial will last about two weeks.