Rasmussen v. Lazarus

*50This appeal presents a unique opportunity to apply plea of abatement and statute of limitations principles to a wrongful death lawsuit based on a cold case murder. Code of Civil Procedure section 340.3, subdivision (a) provides that "in any action for damages against a defendant based upon the defendant's commission of a felony offense for which the defendant has been convicted, the time for commencement of the action shall be within one year after judgment is pronounced."1 The civil case under review seeks vindication for a 31-year-old murder. The parents of the murder victim, Nels and…