Susie Young Kim, 37, was shot and killed just after 1 a.m. April 10 at 17th Street and Grand Avenue near a Food 4 Less supermarket in Santa Ana after a 30-minute [high speed] pursuit through Buena Park, Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana.That saved us the expense of having her go through the court and correctional systems, right? Well, keep reading.
Kim's 13-month-old daughter, who was in a car seat in the back seat of the black Toyota sedan she was driving, was unharmed. She was taken to Orangewood Children's Home and then placed under the care of her grandparents and father.Thank God. How evil of her to put her child in that situation.
But guess what? Susie Young Kim's parents have filed a claim against the city!
The claim was filed June 24 by attorney Dale K. Galipo on behalf of Kim's parents, Yung Kim and Nancy Kim, and on behalf of her daughter, Angelica Kim Contreras, and the estate of Susie Young Kim.That's what we call nerve. Audacity.
The claim asks for $20 million in damages, including for funeral expenses, legal costs, severe emotional distress, survival and punitive damages.And what about Susie Young Kim's responsibility in all of this?
The claim alleges that the Santa Ana Police Department's officers involved in the incident "used excessive deadly force, which resulted in the death of Susie Young Kim."Why have the officers never used excessive force against me? Oh, that's right. Because I don't put myself in that position. I don't drive like a maniac and refuse to pull over.
It goes on to say that the officers involved also "knowingly endangered the passenger child by using unnecessary deadly force and negligently handling the vehicle pursuit."Susie Young Kim endangered the child, if the newspaper has it right.
Galipo said that based on his independent investigation to date, the officer fired from the side and there were no bullet holes to the front of the windshield.Which might have been what spared the child.
After the incident, Buena Park police Sgt. Bill Kohanek said officers saw a car seat in the back seat and broadcast that over police radio, but he also said it's not uncommon for officers to miss transmissions.I've driven many times with a car seat that didn't have a child in it. Especially at 1am.
Santa Ana has 45 days to respond to the claim. After that, a lawsuit can be filed. Galipo said they intend to file a lawsuit unless the city wants to reach a settlement.Ka-ching!!! Blood money.
Galipo said it's unclear why Kim did not immediately stop when a Buena Park police officer tried to pull her over.Oh, of course it is. I'm sure she had a perfectly good reason not to stop. Everyone does that with a 13-month-old in the car. At 1am.
I'm so sick of people who commit crimes (or the people who raised them) getting seven figure paydays at taxpayer expense.
Hey Yung Kim and Nancy Kim – how about a formal public apology for the actions of your daughter? You know, some day, that child is going to find out what her mother did. Poor thing... that child is the real victim in all of this, and her mother is mostly to blame, if the newspaper's report has it right.
I agree with you completely. TERRIBLE mother, KNOWINGLY putting her child in harm's way. Getting herself killed for whatever stupid unnecessary reason. No! DO NOT give the family my money. They'll raise this child telling her how the police killed her poor mommy. Sick and wrong. No, you do not get to SUE the police for protecting my children from your (grown) child. You do NOT get to profit from the terrible choices of your flesh and blood. Set up a trust for the little girl and let me voluntarily donate so she has diapers and can go to college, but don't set a precedent where people make money for behaving SO very wrong.
ReplyDeleteAlso, pull over when the police tell you to. Especially if your kid is in the car. I totally got out of an expired registration ticket thanks to my crying baby!
Thanks, MBR!
ReplyDeleteI should also note that no, the cops aren't always right and yes, they make mistakes.
BUT... they are armed, they are practiced, and the reasonable thing to do is to carefully comply with their orders. You can always file a complaint about their treatment of you later.
Plenty of cops have been killed while doing "routine" traffic stops. They don't know you when they approach you. Keep your hands visible, be polite, and do what they say.
Driving off and leading them on a chase is a very bad idea.
I wonder what exactly was the reason she was out at 1am with her 13 month old and did not stop for the police. Maybe there are circumstances that are not crime related. Maybe the life of herself and child were being threatened. The newspaper artice doesn't really touch on the circumstances that led to the police chase. Did she rob a grocery store? Hit a pedestrian? Nor does the article touch on the circumstances in which an officer of the law felt the need to open fire on her car. Did she brandish a weapon? Was she ramming the police car with hers? It seems a little drastic that she was shot and killed without having additional information as to why.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, putting your child in harms way is a deplorable thing and no one should receive a pay day for such, but was open firing on the vehicle a justified desicion either? More facts needed before I can form an opinion on the matter.