$11 Million Jury Verdict in Wilver Blanco Wrongful-Death Case Against LAPD Officers

$11 Million Jury Verdict in Wilver Blanco Wrongful-Death Case Against LAPD Officers

Introduction

Jury Awards $11 Million to Blanco’s Children

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury awarded approximately $11 million to the two minor children of Wilver Blanco Mendoza, a 42-year-old man who was fatally shot by Los Angeles Police Department officers in South Los Angeles in May 2024. The verdict was returned on September 23, 2026, in a wrongful-death lawsuit brought on behalf of Blanco’s children. The jury found LAPD Officers Stefan Carutasu and Dominique Billew liable for battery and negligence arising from the shooting. The jury attributed 60% of the responsibility for the damages to the two officers and 40% to Blanco.

May 2024 Shooting in South Los Angeles

The underlying incident occurred on May 19, 2024, in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood of South Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, LAPD Southeast Patrol Division officers Dominique Billew and Stefan Carutasu responded to a report concerning a man armed with a knife. The officers encountered Blanco near a parked vehicle. The official investigation states that Blanco was holding a knife and that he ran toward Officer Billew while armed. The officers then fired their service weapons, striking Blanco. He was transported to a hospital and was pronounced dead at approximately 7:17 p.m.

Officers’ Use of Deadly Force

The official District Attorney memorandum states that Officer Billew fired six rounds and Officer Carutasu fired five rounds. The Los Angeles Times reported that the officers fired a combined seven shots that struck Blanco. According to the officers’ accounts described in the official review, they believed deadly force was necessary because Blanco was advancing toward them while holding a knife. The District Attorney’s Office ultimately concluded in February 2026 that the officers acted in lawful self-defense based on the totality of the circumstances. The LAPD chief and Police Commission also previously determined that the use of lethal force was justified.

Wrongful-Death Claims Against LAPD Officers

Blanco’s children pursued a civil wrongful-death action challenging the officers’ conduct during the encounter. The lawsuit alleged that the officers used excessive and unnecessary deadly force and failed to take adequate steps to de-escalate the situation. The plaintiffs argued that officers had access to less-lethal alternatives and should have recognized that Blanco was experiencing a mental-health crisis. The family’s attorney also argued that the officers had an opportunity to use additional measures rather than immediately resorting to deadly force. These allegations represented the plaintiffs’ position in the civil lawsuit and were disputed by the defense.

Defense Position and Government Review

The defense maintained that the officers faced an immediate threat because Blanco was armed with a knife and moved toward an officer after being ordered to drop the weapon. City attorneys argued that the officers responded to an assault-with-a-deadly-weapon call, encountered an armed individual, and fired as Blanco closed the distance. The official District Attorney review similarly concluded that the officers reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to protect against an imminent deadly threat. Thus, the civil jury’s findings differed from the conclusions previously reached by the District Attorney’s Office and LAPD command and oversight authorities concerning the legality and justification of the shooting.

Jury’s Liability Allocation and Damages

The jury awarded approximately $11 million in total damages to Blanco’s two children. The Los Angeles Superior Court panel found Officers Carutasu and Billew responsible for 60% of the damages, while Blanco was assigned 40% responsibility. The children were represented in the lawsuit through their mother, Migdalia Gutierrez. Court reporting identified the minor plaintiffs by their initials, B.S.B. and W.S.B.G., to protect their identities. CBS Los Angeles reported that the children were 9 and 13 years old at the time of the verdict.

Trial and September 2026 Verdict

The civil trial focused on whether the officers’ actions constituted battery and negligence and whether their conduct caused Blanco’s death. The jury deliberated for slightly more than four hours over two days before reaching its verdict. The September 23, 2026 decision resulted in an approximately $11 million award for Blanco’s children. The verdict is significant because it reflects a civil jury’s determination regarding the officers’ conduct and the resulting damages, despite the earlier official findings that the shooting was legally justified.

Post-Verdict Status

The $11 million figure represents the jury’s total damages award, with 60% responsibility assigned to the officers and 40% to Blanco. The reported award remains subject to post-trial proceedings and potential appeal. CBS Los Angeles reported that the City can appeal the trial court judgment, while the Los Angeles Times noted that jury awards can be reduced through subsequent proceedings and that any settlement involving the City would require the appropriate governmental approval. Accordingly, the September 23, 2026 verdict should be described as a jury award rather than as an unalterable final payment.