Justice for Yanira Serrano! (d.2014-06-03, Half Moon Bay)

Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit filed for Yanira Serrano Garcia (2014-09-08) [link]

"Funeral for latest victim of police killings in N. California"
2014-06-13 press release from the Brown Berets Autonomous Chapter of Santa Rosa:
Saturday 1pm Mass Funeral @ Our Lady of the Pillar, Half Moon Bay
Tuesday 6:30pm Community Gathering @ Half Moon Bay City Council
Indict Deputy Menh Now!
On the afternoon of June 3rd, the quiet of the predominantly Spanish-speaking area of Moon Ridge was pierced with the crack of a bullet. 18-year old, mentally challenged Yanira Serrano lay dead in front of her house in a pool of blood. The blood curdling cries of agony from her family filled the air with despair. Only 30 feet from the Serrano house sits a Sheriffs’ substation, yet one officer – Deputy Trieu Menh – arrived on the scene in response to a 911 medical emergency call. Once on the scene, he pulled the trigger of his service weapon ending Yanira’s short life.
Most people remember Yanira as a good natured, happy girl who was a little bit “different”. Yanira was often seen by neighbors and friends either walking around Moon Ridge or riding her scooter. Yanira’s heartfelt desire was to be a “normal” kid -- just like her friends.
As with most people suffering from a mental impairment, there were times than Yanira didn’t want to take her meds – hoping to be normal. On those occasions, her family had called 911 for medical personnel to help them in those emergency situations. On June 3rd, however, Officer Menh arrived rather than medically trained or equipped personnel.
Officer Menh pulled out his service weapon and shot Yanira dead around 6pm. He immediately claimed, as Deputies have down in the last few months in Salina, Santa Rosa, Dublin, San Francisco, L.A. … that they shot mentally unstable people our of “fear for their lives.” Does a trained, full-grown, veteran officer really have no resort but a gun to face down a tiny 18-year old with an alleged kitchen knife?
On June 3rd, Yanira did not have to die. The use of deadly force by police in response to a 911 medical emergency is not an acceptable means of controlling or deescalating an emotionally fraught situation. The epidemic of police killings in California, largely directed at the mentally challenged and people of color is a rapidly growing cancer that must be eliminated before it continues to matasticize and kill more innocent victims.
For a week, the streets of Half Moon Bay have been filled with angry protesters demanding to know the true story of Yanira’s shooting and crying out for Justice for Yanira.
To carry on the struggle for Justice for Yanira and to Demand the Indictment of Deputy Menh, Yanira’s friends and family, members of the Half Moon Bay Community and their supporters from around the Bay will be joining a Mass Funeral on Saturday at 1pm. The funeral will commemorate Yanira’s short life and raise the cry for the DA to Indict Deputy Menh.
Tuesday, June 17th at 6:30pm will be the first Half Moon Bay City Council Meeting since Yanira’s death. Members of the community and Yanira’s family will attend the Council Meeting en masse to demand that the City Council pass a resolution demanding:
1.              The City Council of Half Moon Bay officially go on record demanding that District Attorney Stephan Wagstaffe conduct an immediate, thorough and fully transparent investigation of the June 3d shooting of Yanira Serrano.
2.              At the conclusion of that investigation DA Wagstaffe report all findings to the public in an open community meeting called for that purpose.
3.              Based on the evidence ascertained, Deputy Wagstaffe be charged with criminal wrongdoing in the shooting of Yanira Serrano.
DEADLY FORCE AGAINST AN 18-YEAR OLD PETITE GIRL IS MURDER!
WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE DEATH OF YANIRA TO GO UNPUNISHED!