Widow of Murdered El Monte Police Officer Initiates $25 Million Legal Action Against Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, L.A. County

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA, November 29 – Today, Janine Paredes, the widow of late El Monte Police Officer Sgt. Michael Paredes, initiated a $25,000,000 legal action against “progressive” Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the County of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. The claim was filed for the wrongful death of her husband, as well as for pain and suffering.

On June 14, 2022, El Monte Police Officer Sgt. Michael Paredes and his partner, Officer Joseph Santana, were ambushed and killed by a repeat-convicted criminal, Justin Flores, when responding to a call at the Siesta Inn Motel.

According to the documents, at the time of the murders Justin Flores (who had an alarmingly long rap sheet) should have been in custody. Instead, due to Gascón’s policies and internal orders, Flores was allowed to freely roam and prey on unsuspecting residents and workers in El Monte.

With multiple convictions under his belt prior to the shooting, the documents allege it was absurd for a known violent criminal like Flores to be free. In other words, when the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the Los Angeles County Probation Department allowed Flores to be free at the direction of Gascón’s policies and internal orders, they put the lives of many at risk.

On June 13, 2022, just a day before the fatal shooting of the officers, Justin Flores’ probation officer filed for a revocation of his probation because Flores allegedly assaulted his girlfriend the week prior. The allegations triggered a probation violation, yet Flores was not taken into custody and was allowed to continue to roam the streets freely.

“For reasons currently unknown and with overwhelming indifference, Justin Flores was allowed to continue his rampage of criminal violence against the unsuspecting people, including two dedicated police officers,” said Mark Peacock, Founding Partner of Peacock & Bartlett, A.P.C. “The District Attorney’s Office and the County Probation Department created an opportunity for an already violent man to take the life of Michael Paredes, a beloved husband, father, friend, son and police officer. To call this a tragically negligent decision by the D.A. is an understatement.”

The widow of late Officer Michael Paredes, Janine Paredes, has initiated this claim for an act that never would have been committed if George Gascón and the County had simply done their job.

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