Jury deadlocks in suit over Sacramento police shooting of 19-year-old Darell Richards

After four days of deliberation, a jury deadlocked Monday in the Sacramento police shooting lawsuit over the death of 19-year-old Darell Richards, meaning the case may have to be tried again if the two sides can’t reach a settlement.

Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez declared a mistrial in the case after the four-man, four-woman jury sent him a note saying they could not reach unanimous verdicts on whether police used excessive force, were negligent or on other claims related to 2018 shooting.

Richards had been having mental issues and was carrying a pellet gun that was a replica of a handgun when Officers Todd Edgerton and Patrick Cox shot him multiple times after they believed he was pointing a handgun at another officer.

The 3 a.m. shooting in a Curtis Park backyard led to claims that Richards was raising his hands in surrender at the time he was shot, and lawyers for his family said police violated their own policies by not calling in a negotiation team to defuse the situation.

The jurors could not agree on any of the claims against the police, and appeared to be close to siding with the city on negligence until one juror changed their vote Monday.

“We appreciate the jury’s work on the case, and understand it was a tough case to get a verdict on,” said Deputy City Attorney Sean Richmond, who tried the case for the city with Deputy City Attorney Matthew Day. “We respect the conclusion of the jury.”

Richards’ mother, Khoua Vang, who testified at trial and frequently had to leave the courtroom in tears as video of the shooting was played, declined to comment after the mistrial and after having sat waiting for days in the courthouse hallways for word from the jurors.

Two attorneys for the family, Adante Pointer and Melissa Nold, said afterward that they will pursue a new trial if no resolution of the case can be reached with city officials.

“Some times people come together and are able to resolve a case, but we’re still ready to fight,” Pointer said. “We came here to get justice for this family, and that mission hasn’t changed.”

Mendez thanked the jurors for their work since mid-October on the case, and said if the lawyers ask to try it again he will handle it.

“I’ll go ahead and try it again because I know the case so well,” the judge said. “This is an incredibly difficult case.”

This story was originally published October 31, 2022 at 3:10 PM.