Global Courant 2023-04-15 02:21:31
The former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who shot Andres Guardado multiple times in the back, a killing that sparked days of raucous protests, will not face criminal charges.
Prosecutors determined there was “insufficient evidence” to prosecute ex-Deputy Miguel Vega for Guardado’s death, according to a 31-page memo circulated to the media Friday afternoon. According to the memo, the lack of surveillance footage and the fact that Vega was the only witness to the shooting were critical hurdles that prosecutors could not overcome.
Vega and Guardado first crossed paths near a car repair shop in Gardena in June 2020. The deputy and his partner, Chris Hernandez, said they saw the 18-year-old “pull out a gun” and fled from them as they approached arrived, according to the sheriff’s department.
Vega drew his weapon and gave chase, ordering Guardado to drop the firearm, according to the prosecutor’s memo. The teen complied and lay down on the ground, but when Vega tried to handcuff him, authorities claimed that Guardado then reached for the gun. Vega then shot Guardado five times in the back.
“Vega told detectives to keep his gun in his den to handcuff Guardado. When Vega did, Guardado reached for his gun. Once armed, it would have taken Guardado only a moment to fire the weapon at Vega,” the memo said. “Guardado’s actions in reaching for the firearm left Vega in fear for his life. If Vega’s description of events is correct, Vega reasonably believed he needed deadly force to defend against this threat when he fired his service weapon at Guardado.”
However, Vega’s credibility is highly questionable. On Thursday, an unsealed federal indictment revealed that he and Hernandez were charged with conspiracy, witness tampering, falsifying records and depriving a 24-year-old skateboarder of his civil rights in an incident that occurred two months before Guardado’s murder.
“My heart goes out to the Guardado family. Nothing my office can do will ease the unimaginable pain those who knew and loved Andres must feel. This decision does not confirm the actions of these officers,” Los Angeles County Dist. Attention. George Gascon said in a statement. “They have a disturbing background of misconduct and that has been thoroughly considered. Unfortunately, in the end, we don’t believe there is enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The sheriff’s department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A lawyer for Guardado’s family has not called back to ask for comment.
Prosecutors initially recommended not prosecuting Vega for Guardado’s death last year, according to data reviewed by The Times, though the prosecutor’s office has repeatedly declined to comment on that fact or the eight-month delay between that finding and the announcement to the public that charges would be dismissed.
On Thursday, Tiffiny Blacknell, the communications director for the district attorney’s office, said prosecutors were “in the process of meeting with the Guardado family about the shooting case” and expected to make an announcement “soon.”
