Justice4Medina

Justice4Medina.com  

This site is intended to honor the memory of Robert J. Medina and to seek the full truth surrounding the circumstances of his needless death; to seek Justice for Medina.  It has been created and is maintained by the attorneys representing Corporal Medina's widow, Jennifer.

Do you have any information about this case?  Do you know someone who does?  If so, please contact us and let the truth be known.

The Incident 

   This much of the story is thought to be true....

   On Thursday, November 16, 2006 at about 1:25 a.m., the California Highway Patrol attempted to pull over the driver of a blue Dodge pickup truck in Oceanside for suspicion of DUI.  The driver, a young male Hispanic in civilian clothing, did not yield, beginning a long chase involving the CHP, San Diego County Sheriff deputies, and possibly other agencies as well. 

   Law enforcement vehicles followed the pickup truck westbound on highway 78, then on to Interstate 5 northbound, then off the freeway along several street surfaces through Oceanside.  They followed the pickup truck back on to southbound Interstate 5, then back off the freeway onto westbound Pointsettia Lane.  Reaching Coast Highway 101, the pickup lead police southbound through Carlsbad, Encinitas and into Solana Beach after avoiding a spike strip laid near the intersection of Highway 101 at Leucadia Blvd. 

   The chase ended on Highway 101 in Solana Beach just before the intersection at Santa Fe Drive where other officers were assembled to block the suspect's path.

   As the pickup approached the intersection, a pursuing CHP officer attempted a PIT manuever ("Pursuit Immobilization Technique") intended to spin the pickup truck and end the chase. 

   The first PIT manuever spun the pickup out, but the driver recovered and started to drive again.  The second PIT spun the pickup truck again.  Then law enforcement officers on the street opened fire with their handguns. 

   Dozens of rounds were fired by at least four officers on the street in two separate volleys.  Several rounds hit the pickup truck, but only two rounds hit the suspect, and only one of those, a round to the torso and through the victim's aorta, was fatal.

   The suspect was pulled from the truck onto the street where he died from his wound.  His body was left on the street uncovered for hours while Sheriff's detectives and the coroner's office conducted their homicide investigations.

   No weapons were found in the truck or on the suspect's body.

   The suspect turned out to be Corporal Robert J. Medina, an active duty member of the United States Marine Corps stationed at Camp Pendleton since returning in August 2006 from duty in Iraq where he had served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom primarily as a truck driver with the Motor Transport Section, S-4, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, 1st Marine Logistics Group stationed at Camp Taqaddum, Al-Anbar Province, western Iraq. 

   The San Diego County Medical Examiner's report indicates that Robert died of a "penetrating gunshot wound of torso" perforating his lungs, diaphragm, liver and aorta.  On autopsy, no alcohol was found in the victim's body.  Cocaine was found in tests of peripheral blood samples at a non-toxic level of 0.62 mg/L as well as traces of atropine injected by emergency medical personnel at the scene.

   A post-mortem psychological autopsy was performed by Commander E.E. Cunha, Head Psychologist, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, concluding that at the time of his death, Corporal Medina had possibly been suffering from several psychological problems. At the top of the list, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD") with moderate to severe symptoms.

   Originally from Colorado, Robert, age 22, left behind his young wife, Jennifer, his loving parents Arlene and Robert Medina, and many other grieving relatives, friends and fellow Marines. 

   Today, Robert is buried in peace in Colorado. 

   But the loved ones who survive him are not at peace.  There remain many unanswered questions about why lethal force was used against an unarmed suspect.  The official reports of the San Diego County Coroner's office and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (see reports below) tell two conflicting stories.

   One of the San Diego Sheriff deputies involved in the shooting of Robert Medina, Deputy Mark Ritchie, had been the sole shooter in a prior controversial killing of another Hispanic suspect in Vista in June of 2005.  Deputy Ritchie has been accused of using excessive force in at least three other lawsuits.

 MAJOR DISCREPANCIES IN THE OFFICIAL REPORT

The Sheriff's report justifies the shooting because Medina supposedly placed the officers in peril. 

The medical examiner's report describes the officers shooting when they mistakenly thought a fallen bumper on the CHP was a fallen officer. 

These are the official reports.  Read, compare and tell us which version you believe reports the truth.

SAN DIEGO SHERIFF'S REPORT

"The pursuit entered Solana Beach. Near the intersection of North Highway 101 and Estrella Street a CHP officer conducted a Pursuit Immobilization Techique (P.I.T.) maneuver in attempt to end the pursuit. The suspect vehicle was spun around as the maneuver was designed to do. However, the suspect was able to regain control of his vehicle. The suspect drove over the raised center divide and onto the  northbound lanes of the highway. A second P.I.T maneuver was conducted on the suspect vehicle by the same CHP officer. This maneuver again spun the suspect vehicle around and onto the east sidewalk east of the highway. The vehicle came to rest facing westbound.

A deputy sheriff used lawful intervention in attempt to block the vehicle and end the pursuit. CHP officers and deputies exited their vehicles and gave verbal orders to the suspect to  shut off his vehicle and put his hands up. The suspect failed to comply with these orders. The suspect rammed a deputy's vehicle and then backed up.  He rapidly accelerated directly at officers and deputies who were standing outside their vehicles. 

One Deputy, who had parked her vehicle in the southbound lanes of N. Highway 101, ran across the center divide towards the deputies. As she entered the northbound lanes of the highway, the suspect began driving towards the officer. The Deputy fell to the ground near the center divide.

Fearing for their safety, CHP officers and deputies fired their duty issued handguns at the suspect. The suspects vehicle  continued westbound across N. Highway 101 and over the center divide coming to rest facing northwest in the south bound lanes of travel.

The suspect was given verbal commands to exit his vehicle, but he did not comply. The suspect was removed from his vehicle by CHP officers and deputies. CHP officers began to render first aid to the suspect. Paramedics were called to the scene.

MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT

"An  Oceanside Police K-9 unit pursued and notified the California Highway Patrol (CHP). CHP Officers assisted and the decedent entered the Solana Beach area. SDSO deputies were informed of the pursuit and assisted in the chase. A pit manuever was attempted in Leucadia to no avail. The decedent kept driving on Highway 101 until another joint pit manueuver was performed with CHP and SDSO vehicles.

The deputy driving the SDSO vehicle was struck by her airbag when striking the decedent's truck. She got out of her vehicle in the dark and fell onto the road. During the PIT Maneuver at the intersection of Highway 101 and Lomas Santa Fe, the decedent was spun around in a 360-degree turn. He crossed into the northbound lane of Highway 101 and then crossed the median going northbound in the southbound lanes.

Officers and deputies had poor visibility and it appeared that there was someone being dragged by the front bumper. The front bumper had dislodged during collisions and was hanging on by one side. Deputies and Police fired multiple rounds into the vehicle until it came to a stop in front of the Tidewater Tavern. No times could be verified at the time of this investigation. Deputies and officers pulled the decedent from the vehicle and Solana Beach Fire paramedics were summoned when the scene was stabilized."