California cop who killed mentally ill Fil-Am sentenced to 6 years in prison
Ex-sheriff’s Dep. Andrew Hall was convicted last year of assault with a firearm and a gun enhancement in 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda’s shooting death. SCREENSHOT
MARTINEZ, California —A policeman was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday for the on-duty shooting death of a mentally ill Filipino American man in a slow-speed chase two years ago.
Ex-sheriff’s Dep. Andrew Hall was convicted last year of assault with a firearm and a gun enhancement in 33-year-old Laudemer Arboleda’s shooting death.
The jury could not reach a verdict on a more serious manslaughter count. A sheriff’s internal probe cleared Hall of wrongdoing, and he returned to duty.
In March 2021, Hall shot and killed another man, 32-year-old Tyrell Wilson, who pulled a knife and took a step toward Hall during a jaywalking stop. Hall was cleared by an internal sheriff’s probe; the DA’s office is reportedly still investigating that shooting.
Hall’s conviction is the first successful prosecution of a law enforcement officer in Contra Costa County for an on-duty killing.
Superior Court Judge Terri Mockler said Hall acted contrary to his training in dealing with chases, and put colleagues and civilians in danger.
Police body and dash cameras show Hall running around the front of his patrol car, gun drawn, and coming face to face with Arboleda’s sedan and shooting into the car while backing away, inflicting nine gunshot wounds on Arboleda.
Arboleda’s mother, Jeannie Atienza, told the court that her son was suffering a mental health crisis. Police found him loitering in a neighborhood where he used to reside. She had asked for the maximum sentence of 17 years.
Arboleda’s family settled a federal lawsuit with the sheriff’s office for $4.9 million.
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