Peterson v. City of Long Beach

Opinion

NEWMAN, J.

— In 1972 Police Officer Vershaw shot and killed Roland Peterson. At the time of the killing Peterson was running from his apartment. Vershaw had responded to a radio call erroneously reporting a burglary in progress at the apartment. He approached with gun drawn. Peterson fled and was shot in the head. Vershaw had had no report of, nor did he see, any weapons, violence, or threat of violence at the apartment.

Plaintiffs, Peterson’s parents, sued Vershaw and his employer, City of Long Beach, for wrongful death. The trial court, ruling that Vershaw’s use of deadly force was…