65-year-old Paul Mono had been a syndicated cartoonist and creative director for the Los Angeles Times before losing his vision. He was having a mental health crisis inside his Laguna Woods home when deputies fired through the windows and killed him while his wife looked on.
“They failed to take positions of cover. They failed to de-escalate. They didn't even try to call Ms. Peck on her phone to explain why they were there and what could be done to resolve the situation,” attorney Brian Olney said.
Mono’s widow, Susan Peck, said they had moved to Laguna Woods “thinking it was safer than L.A.” and were ready to begin the next phase of their life together when his life was suddenly taken.
“This doesn't bring him back and won't heal the hurt of his absence, but it does make me feel like there is some justice in this world,” Peck said. “The sheriffs didn't believe or care that Paul was blind and having a crisis. I truly hope this verdict serves as a wake-up call and saves others from the grief that I've endured for the past seven years.”
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Peck said she hopes the verdict serves as a deterrent to save others from the pain she's endured.
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