Parties Reach a Settlement in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against LA County Sheriff's Department

The parties in an inmate wrongful death lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department agreed on a $1,500,000 settlement to resolve the case.

The Case: Joseph Charles Evans et al. v. County of Los Angeles, et al.

The Court: USDC Central District of California

The Case No.: 2:19-cv-00793

The Plaintiff: Joseph Charles Evans, et al. v. County of Los Angeles, et al.

The plaintiffs in the case are the family members of Mr. Tony Evans, the deceased. Evans was survived by three adult sons who filed a wrongful death lawsuit on February 1, 2019. The men claim that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department failed in their duty to protect under the U.S. Constitution 14th amendment, 42 USC section 1983, and California state wrongful death claims.

History of the Case: Joseph Charles Evans et al. v. County of Los Angeles, et al.

Court records indicate that on January 17, 2018, Tony Joseph Evans, Sr. and Franklin Reveter were in LA County Sheriff’s Dept. custody at the Inmate Reception Center (where incoming male arrestees are processed before being assigned a LASD-maintained housing location). While sitting in the clinic’s waiting area, the two were said to engage in a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical altercation. The altercation was caught on the building’s security video footage. Evans was transported to a local hospital for treatment after sustaining injuries in the fight. He underwent several surgeries during a 2-month hospitalization before being transferred to a nursing facility. He eventually died on August 15, 2018.

Resolution of the Case: Joseph Charles Evans et al. v. County of Los Angeles et al.

According to the record, the court denied the County’s motion for summary judgment. Following the denial, the plaintiffs settled with LA County, agreeing to a settlement of $1,500,000 to settle the wrongful death case before it proceeded to trial. 

If you have questions about how to file a California wrongful death lawsuit, please get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced wrongful death attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.