MOJAVE, Calif. (KERO) — After a deadly, deputy-involved shooting in 2020, Kern County will have to pay $30 million to the family of the man shot-and-killed. His daughter and son commented on the decision.
- Kern County to pay $30 million to family of Mickel Lewis, shot by deputies in 2020.
- Lewis' daughter recounts the traumatic night her father was killed after a traffic stop.
- A jury found Lewis was wrongfully killed, ruling excessive force was used by deputies.
- Family emphasizes the verdict was about accountability, not just the financial award.
- Kern County plans to review the decision and may appeal, maintaining deputies acted appropriately.
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Kern County will have to pay 30 million dollars to the family of a Mojave man who was shot and killed by Kern County Sheriff's deputies in 2020. In an interview with 23ABC, the man's family recalled what happened that night. "I heard the car pull up, because I was working the drive-through at the time, and his music came on, and it was his voice, and I can kind of peek through the window, so I knew it was him. I was excited. I took everybody's order."
On the night her father was killed, Brionna Lewis was working at the Wienerschnitzel in Mojave, and just a few moments later, her father was killed. "I heard the gunshots, and it just was weird, because he just left, and it just, it was really close and really loud. So I went, I took a step to the back, and I called him, and he didn't answer me, and that was really weird to me."
That night in October 2020, Mickel Lewis was shot and killed by a KCSO Deputy in Mojave following a traffic stop, where the deputy was attempting to conduct a probation search. Deputies claimed they thought Lewis had a gun and they feared for their lives. Lewis however, was not armed. A jury found that Lewis was wrongfully killed and awarded $30 million to Lewis's seven children that he leaves behind. The attorneys for Lewis' family said this is the second largest award to be levied in a police shooting case in California history.
However, the family said it was less about money and more about holding those accountable and clearing their father's name. "I felt like the justice was when the jury stated that office Ayala did use excessive force, and they were able to see that his actions were accounted for. That was a justice in my heart. I mean, money is one thing, but again, like you said, it's never going to bring back my father, just overall. I mean, I feel that this trial was a step to justice for me."
A statement from the county reads: Kern County disagrees with the court's ruling and maintains that the Kern County Sheriff's Office and the Deputy Sheriff responded appropriately, adhering to departmental policy and the law.
The county is reviewing the decision and will consider all legal options, including a potential appeal. The county supports the Sheriff's Office and the department's ongoing commitment to ensuring public safety.
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