Jury Decides Riverside County Must Pay $13.1 Million For Deputy’s Use Of Deadly Force On Mentally Ill Man

RIVERSIDE, Calif., December 16, 2025 — A federal jury on Dec. 12 returned a $13.1 million verdict in an excessive force case against the County of Riverside, arising from the shooting death of Jefferey Monroy, 33, by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Corporal Ruben Perez.

“This verdict represents a strong message from the jury that shooting an individual in the back at a distance when there is no threat is unconstitutional, particularly when the Deputy had many other options available to subdue him,” said Kaveh Navab of Navab Law and Of Counsel to V. James DeSimone Law.

Monroy, of Cathedral City, suffered from mental illness and had been working with his father, who owned a pool maintenance company in the Palm Springs area on Aug. 7, 2020. He wandered off the job site and knocked on a door to ask to use a phone to call his brother. After he left, the resident called the police non-emergency line and requested an area check.

Perez arrived about a minute after Monroy’s brother arrived to pick him up. Monroy had a screwdriver in his pocket from pool maintenance work. He approached and attacked Perez, causing a small injury to the corporal’s neck. The deputy testified the altercation lasted three to five seconds. Monroy’s brother immediately grabbed him, pulled him more than 20 feet away, and took the screwdriver.

Perez then drew his firearm, issued no commands, and as Monroy ran away, shot him three times in the back and once in the forearm from approximately 25 feet away. Monroy died moments later.

The evidence showed there was no imminent harm to the corporal or anyone else at the moment of the shooting; that Monroy no longer had anything in his hands; and that he was running away at a distance of approximately 25 feet, Navab said.

The defense argued that Monroy attempted to attack the corporal a second time, but plaintiffs showed that this did not happen. There was no video of the shooting. Perez’ attorneys alleged that it was inadvertently shut off one second into the incident.

The case was tried over two weeks in federal court before U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong in the Central District of California. The matter had previously proceeded to the Ninth Circuit after defendants sought summary judgment; plaintiffs prevailed on their Fourth Amendment claim, and the court held qualified immunity did not apply at that stage.

“For the past five years, it has been my honor and privilege to stand beside the Monroy family,” said Navab, who is Of Counsel with V. James DeSimone Law. “Nothing can ever replace what they lost, but this verdict represents justice and accountability. and we are thankful the jury gave this family the voice and justice they deserve.”

Monroy’s parents Longina Perez Monroy and David Monroy were also represented by Houman Sayaghi of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers.

The jury awarded damages to Monroy’s parents totaling $13.1 million, assigning 70% fault to Perez and 30% to Monroy on the negligence claim: $4 million for loss of life, $100,000 for pre-death pain and suffering, and $9 million in wrongful death damages.

“The jury verdict reaffirmed the sanctity of human life and the need for officers to refrain from using deadly force unless they are truly facing an imminent threat to human life,” said V. James DeSimone.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Frank, 206-790-6324