Fresno, Calif. – In a landmark decision, a federal jury in Fresno awarded $30.5 million to the family of Mickel Lewis, Sr., a 39-year-old Black man fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy during a 2020 traffic stop. This verdict, reached on March 19, becomes the second-largest jury award in a California police shooting case.
The courtroom verdict followed the death of Lewis, who was unarmed when Kern County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Ayala shot him twice in the back from five shots fired. The jury ruled that Ayala’s use of force was both excessive and unreasonable, attributing negligence to his actions.
The compensation detailed includes $5 million for the loss of life, $1 million for Lewis’s pre-death pain and suffering, and $24.5 million awarded in wrongful death damages, which will benefit Lewis’s seven children. Lead trial counsel Dale K. Galipo expressed satisfaction with the outcome, recognizing it as fair and just towards Lewis’s family.
The evidence presented during the trial challenged the initial narrative by the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. Ayala claimed Lewis was reaching for a weapon and threatening his life, a statement contradicted by witness testimonies indicating that Lewis had his hands visible and empty. Forensic analysis also supported this testimony, showing two bullet wounds in Lewis’s back.
Attorney Bernard Alexander emphasized the rapid nature of the events, stating that the confrontation escalated drastically within seconds after Lewis had re-entered his car, supposedly looking for his car keys, following an agreement to a pat-down search. The decision to go to trial instead of settling reflects the sheriff department’s miscalculation of both the evidence’s strength and jury perception.
The defense’s expectation of a biased jury backfired spectacularly, with a diverse group unanimously supporting the plaintiff’s perspective. The testimonies from Lewis’s children highlighted their father’s character, counteracting the negative portrayal by law enforcement.
“The jury was able to value this person,” Alexander remarked. “He wasn’t perfect, but the life he created for his children certainly was, in some form, perfection.”
While the substantial financial award is significant, the underlying message it sends about liability in cases of police misuse of force and the acknowledgment of Black lives carries potentially wider implications. Toni Jaramilla, another attorney for the Lewis family, celebrated the verdict as a restoration of faith in the judicial process, capable of understanding profound losses such as this one.
The implications of this case resonate beyond the courtroom, as Alexander highlighted the systemic racial issues affecting police interactions. The acknowledgment by the jury serves as an assertion that legal protections apply universally, regardless of one’s imperfections.
As the legal journey ends, the Lewis family continues to honor Mickel Lewis Sr.’s memory, focusing on the values he taught and the love he shared. Their commitment transcends the courtroom, aiming to impart lasting lessons on dignity and kindness to future generations.
While many may see the courtroom as a place of final verdicts, for Mickel Lewis Sr.’s family, it was a platform to affirm his humanity and their own resilience against a prejudiced system.
This case stands as a beacon for those navigating the complexities of justice, offering a kernel of hope for accountability and acknowledgment, even under dire circumstances.
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