Accused Los Angeles Homeless Killer Won $700,000 Settlement Against Santa Monica
Los Angeles, CA— Jerrid Powell, the man facing charges for the alleged murder of four individuals, including three homeless men in Los Angeles, won a $700,000 settlement against the city of Santa Monica. The settlement stems from an incident where a police patrol vehicle reportedly ran over Powell while he was lying on the beach.
The Santa Monica City Council approved the settlement in June after Powell filed a negligence lawsuit against the city. Powell, 33, claimed that he suffered severe injuries when a patrol vehicle responding to a fire accidentally ran over him while he was in a ditch in the sand in 2019.
Despite his recent legal victory, Powell currently finds himself in a Los Angeles jail, facing four counts of murder. During a brief court appearance this week, Powell refrained from entering a plea.
The series of murders began on November 26 at around 3 a.m., when 37-year-old Jose Bolanos was killed in the southeast area of the city. The following day, Powell is accused of murdering 62-year-old Mark Diggs at approximately 4:45 a.m. Subsequently, on November 29, Powell allegedly killed a 52-year-old man in the Lincoln Heights area, whose identity has yet to be disclosed. A motive for these murders has also not yet been revealed.
Powell is also being charged in a follow-home robbery murder where a man was killed in San Dimas. Police say automatic plate readers captured Powell’s car near Beverly Hills, which was seen leaving the crime scene in San Dimas.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore emphasized during a press conference that each of the victims was in an open area, whether it be a sidewalk or an alley, and they were all alone.
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