Original subtitles

Happy Mothers's Day.

You are always there mom.

"Mom. I love you so much.

I'm so happy,

to have a mother like you

You are always here for me and you never let me down

Jorge Ramirez Jr.'s letter to his mother

you always comforted me when i was sad

I was something special

thank you for all the things you do for me.

Mom, I wish I could be there for you,

like you always were to me.

Thank you Mama.

I hope that I

can be a good son again.

So I can make you happy

With love Pelon.

Happy Mother's Day mom. Dear Pelon 06

Will we meet up?

The suspect

At around 10:30 p.m.,

wrote Jorge Ramirez to his contact

at the Bakersfield Police Department...

Larry Esparza.

He is here.

wanted and dangerous

Justin Harger was at Jorge's apartment.

Esparza didn't answer for 12 minutes.

Mr. Ramirez texted

and phoned Officer Esparza,

but it was crucial that Officer Esparza

was not on duty.

investigative journalist, The Guardian 2014-2019

He delivered messages

to police colleagues.

"Killing County" consultant

On a night where every second counts

Jorge is kept waiting.

- At 10:44 p.m., Ramirez calls? - Correct.

Statement from BPD officer

after the message

that he's here, right?

Correct.

a transferred call,

which means you didn't range.

Correct.

Officer Esparza wasn't on duty that night

was not at the crime scene that night or anywhere else...

Jorge's father

...where it was planned.

If I'm the sergeant on this would be at the scene of the crime and would receive a text message

"That is everything I know."

former police chief, San Bernardino PD

I don't know if I mean officials

would send into the unknown.

Ramirez has never officially identified himself as

registered as a confidential informant,

but the officials were mobilized

based on the information he has provided

and Jorge was labeled an informant.

Still, the communication had between George

and not on duty present officials Esparza Follow.

At 10:21 p.m. Ramirez writes a text message to his contact.

He is here

Harger is at his apartment.

Almost two hours later

an official car appears.

"Killing County" consultant

He should have Harger with him

have in the apartment.

they should be outside and assure him

that they arrest him

when they leave the apartment.

As the cops show up with an unmarked car,

they basically missed each other.

We do not know, why.

Somehow they weren't paying attention.

write sometime Jorge his contact man,

that they go to the AM/PM

and then to the Sheraton Hotel.

The cops show up in AM/PM,

you miss them there,

and go back

to intercept them.

Ramirez said, "Hey, where are you guys?"

hey where are you guys

"We're up in AM/PM now.

We're going to the Sheraton."

We're going to the Sheraton.

I asked her:

"What kind of car are you in?

Does he still have the gun?"

He says: "I can't talk. Have to go.".

I can not talk.

He was in a hurry almost desperate.

What struck me about this news , was,

that Mr. Ramirez was afraid.

There were many "Where will you be?"

"Can you text?" "No."

Call to. It's not working.

His contact is off duty

and urges him to report.

We're going down.

He says it's dangerous.

That doesn't seem to be recognised.

Jorge's sister

He was angry: "Where are you?

I can't text. Are you coming or not?"

Shortly after officials set up in front of the Sheraton Hotel,

drove Justin Harger's SUV to the parking lot.

Officer Wimbish and Officer Brewer

followed the vehicle in the patrol car.

Harger parked.

And the two officers went on foot to his SUV.

Apparently there was great confusion

among the cops,

whether they are the driver or the passengers should be arrested.

after they stopped.

As officers approached

left Ramirez who passenger, the vehicle.

You want the informant don't have it with you.

You get him out of there.

Former Deputy Sheriff, Kern County

The passenger gets out of the vehicle

and he looks like Justin Harger.

I'm not sure.

Statement by BPD Detective Rick Wimbish

I draw my gun now and yell at the passenger

"Police show hands."

Suddenly, the officers heard the driver

scream something.

And right after that I heard two shots

and saw two muzzle flashes

coming from the driver's door.

Officer Brewer became hit on the cheek.

He thought it was a bullet from the driver.

Basically went after that

everything completely wrong.

Harger you know that he is armed and violent

opens fire.

after he was hit

gave Officer Brewer 15 shots

on the driver.

Did you shoot the passenger?

Not on purpose.

I shot the vehicle but i was very...

Statement by BPD Detective Daniel Brewer

When the bullet hit me

I could hardly stand afterwards.

I did my best to aim at the vehicle.

So there was confusion.

Former NYPD detective

The officials didn't know

or who was who.

The remaining Officials left their vehicles.

Officer Beagley saw how Ramirez from the passenger side

of the vehicle came around.

He thought that was about Justin Harger could act.

I gave the suspect verbal commands.

Statement by BPD Officer Jess Be

"Police! Hands up."

I focus on his hands

but I remember that I have blood in this area

saw in his face or neck.

He didn't want to put his hands up.

I said it twice. Thought, he grabs the gun.

I shot five or six times.

Ramirez fell to his knees, and Officer Beagley

fired as he described , "a few more shots" off.

The person seemed to be dead at this point?

Yes.

Do you have a gun?

seen in his hand?

No.

As you sit here

learn that this is it person was Jorge Ramirez.

Is that correct?

Statement by BPD Officer Jess Beagley

Correct.

There is a volley of shots

which kills both Ramirez and Harger.

We know, that when Ramirez was shot

he was face down

and handcuffed was when he was dying.

That was an informant for the BPD.

Both Jorge Ramirez, Jr.

and Justin Harger were pronounced dead at the scene.

AUTOPSY RESULTS

According to the coroner

died Jorge of 10 piercing

and penetrating gunshot wounds in the body.

He wasn't armed. Be Toxicological findings were impeccable.

The finding is negative.

There seemed to be some confusion.

Reporter KGET 2015-2019

Did all officials know

that Ramirez was an informant?

Did you know what Ramirez looked like?

Could the officials see

who the suspect and who was the contact man?

An official says he knows that an informant is present.

He doesn't know which side he's sitting on.

others did not know that an informant was there.

You know what happens to information

when it goes through so many people.

You change.

There are conflicting ones Stories about who did what

and when.

I believe we have noticed pretty quickly

that they don't match.

What you see after this operation is

that a number of officials revealed

that there is no great planning

for this action.

Sergeant Eric Lance, who was responsible

explained that there is no tactical gave plan for

when Justin Harger gets in the vehicle.

Other officials opined that a plan

would not be necessary.

Was a plan for that discussed arrest?

Statement by BPD Detective Rick Wimbish

We didn't have nearly enough Information.

We still hope to get information

to make a plan.

On a plan for coffee

can't you know where you want to get the cup of coffee.

The police knew

before Jorge into this one situation has been involved

that they do it with an armed dangerous person to do.

one would think

that the the arrest such a suspect

had planned thoroughly

factored in

that it could get messy could become violent

and especially that the police an informant

had in this operation.

There should have been a briefing

an ongoing dialogue.

It needed a rescue plan.

People think it's risky to be an informant.

You think of them person they rat,

and that they will be hurt by the.

Mr. Ramirez would have should not be present.

That was a tactical mistake.

The Police Department has the clear obligation

to protect human life.

So she would have have to make decisions

about security to put in the foreground

who are involved.

There was an arbitrary course of action

in this incident where they simply

acted on instinct.

The result was, that both men were killed.

You were careless during the operation.

There was enough information to prevent this.

You failed. You failed my son.

And the department.

That's not fair.

It is not fair.

That's why I wanted be my brother's voice

because I knew how his life ended.

That gave me more strength

to fight that.

I was in contact with Ralph Silva,

the uncle of David Silva,

the young man who hospital was murdered.

Jorge's father

My daughter communicated.

"Let's mobilize.

let's make it known that they took a life."

BPD KILLED MY SON MURDERER-COPS TO PRISON

We gathered our family our grandchildren.

Jorge's sister

Every Friday... cold, rain, whatever it was...

We were there holding our signs.

Killed my brother

You should be ashamed!

You should be ashamed!

You should be ashamed!

And with time came more families together.

A standing Ramirezes over in the corner.

The Chris families soon arrived Silva, De La Rosa and Alderman too.

And we were like, "What's going on here?"

- What do we want? - Justice!

a loved one losing hurts.

He always eats with us.

The loss of these families

comes with other emotions and a pain of accountability.

Comforting oneself was not enough.

MURDERER-COPS TO PRISON

As they shed their tears they found their voice.

POLICE HAVE KILLED SINCE 9/11 SEPTEMBER OVER 5,000 CIVILIANS

- Whose streets? - Our streets!

- Whose streets? - Our streets!

you try to find out how to mourn together

but also how to stand up for something.

At this time we met monthly

to talk about what we wanted to do.

It became a movement and it was amazing.

Don't be divided!

I could not believe, how many families

were affected.

That they had no voice before.

They were scared,

to speak to the police.

Now we are finally outside. "Hey, we have a story like yours."

Jason is killed

and his aunt Tracy reported to me.

And again the same.

"I saw you on the corner." "Can you help us?"

We team up and protest together...

Jason's mother

...to tell it.

Bound by tragedy.

This is how we are connected.

UNJUSTIFIED MURDER

Because of our experiences and struggles,

there is always a thought.

"What can we do?"

David's brother

Families that this happened to...

...have every right to curl up

and not getting involved.

But not Lethy or Jesse.

Not Jorge, not one of the families.

I'm proud of the leaders,

that have arisen.

This is not a movement who want more members.

However, they struggled to do something.

Then became Kern County shaken... again.

POLICE THE POLICE

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

"The Guardian" appears with an article

over Kern County.

We dealt with Damacio Diaz.

Reporter, KERO 2015-2021

Suddenly this huge article comes out

in "The Guardians",

in which they run the sheriffs office

and the Bakersfield Police Department

the deadliest law enforcement agencies name of the country.

The County: The History of America's deadliest police force

Do not shoot!

Do not shoot!

After Ferguson and the national discussion

which was triggered by

we asked at "The Guardian" notes that it

no national database of killed people gave...

...who were killed by the police.

So we decided to try it yourself.

The Guardians

We tried to document and to find areas

which were previously underexposed,

but where the problem was most acute.

investigative Journalist, The Guardian

What's behind it?

And cases kept popping up

in Kern County, California.

Murder rate increases

We found Kern County the highest rate

deaths by police officers across the country has.

James Moore death by arrest

13 people in one were killed in a single year

in a district with a population of 875,000.

Compare that to New York City,

which has about 10 times as many inhabitants,

where only nine people were killed.

When that came out, it got on everyone

facebook pages, Shared on Instagram and Twitter.

I had family and friends

from all over the country who sent it to me,

because they knew that I worked in Bakersfield.

"Did you see it?"

It became a big topic of conversation on John Oliver's show.

When you see the police chief

in Bakersfield, California, listens, is the system ok.

These people are experts.

You have years of experience

in law enforcement.

Our staff have together 347 years of experience in television.

We won't be easy

Toss raisins and call it entertainment.

Law enforcement would say

that's typical.

That it draws an image that based on ugly statistics

which show Bakersfield negative.

The attention was directed to Kern County,

because there are so many people were killed.

The details we found

the questions asked...

Those were human details.

That was information the statistics

gave a body what shocked people.

And prompted the authorities to do so

to look at these police departments.

The article was important.

A History of Violence: 79 police killings since 2005

I believe that has to do with it contributed to this topic

to be raised to a national level

and give momentum.

STEPHANIE PADEILLA Attorney, ACLU of Southern CA

THE WORLD WATCHES

To learn more about a shootout.

... that he attacked emergency services, before he by five officials

was shot.

The incident is dated

Department of Justice investigated.

The trend is alarming.

...deadliest police unit called

from "The Guardians", "The Washington Post","

and Vanity Fair.

Suddenly the world spoke

over Kern County.

State investigates Bakersfield

The families had hope.

But less than a year later this hope was dashed.

I remember, as I sat at the desk

and a call from one informant received

who said, "You did it again."

FRANCISCO SERNA

...when under the influence.

The 73-year-old grandfather

dementia was shot

just before 1:00 a.m. on Monday.

I played video games

with my girlfriend, when I heard gunshots.

We heard six or seven shots outside.

David's brother

We ran down

and saw a man who was dead.

Francisco Serna.

DECEMBER 12, 2016

Responded at around 12:30 p.m the BPD on a call,

who reported a man with a gun.

Brown jacket, unknown, whether he was under the influence.

Armed with a revolver.

Mr. Serna had one Quarrel with a neighbor.

She called the police.

He has a gun.

police officers reacted to the neighbor.

while they were talking about

Mr. Serna came out of his apartment

and left the police the neighbor's house.

Mr. Serna approached them. He was wearing his bathrobe.

He was wearing a bathrobe, had his hands in his pockets,

and disobeyed.

They tell him to stop.

Reporter, KERO 2015-2021

He should take his hands out of his pockets

to raise your hands.

He doesn't comply with the request.

He says nothing.

But he continues to approach the officials.

Eventually when he was only 15 to 20 meters away from an officer

one of the police officers shot seven times,

met and killed Francisco Serna.

Six officers, a 73-year-old man.

And 15 meters between them, and a newcomer opens fire.

He was clothed and lying with the handcuffed face down,

and i just noticed that he didn't move.

Then I saw blood.

My mother thought he was dead.

Francisco's daughter

It's one and a half to two hours passed.

They hadn't called paramedics.

Maybe they screamed

and he got scared.

Francisco's son

It's on my mind. What are you going through?

You know I wasn't there.

What the hell has he been through?

Just because he was alone.

That makes me angry.

They said he had a gun

and the media exaggerated that.

The officer said he felt threatened.

Because of a gun.

He doesn't have a gun, you know?

Who said that?

They said, "It became an object found in his pocket.

We give this information if we find out anything."

And I said to my wife: "I know what that is."

It's a crucifix, because he was at my house the day before

and he had it in his pocket

and he blessed my house.

Bakersfield Police report,

that Francisco was unarmed

and it was a crucifix.

No weapon.

And a brown cross

The Serna family, who insisted insisted that the police knew

that Francisco had dementia, found out later that

Bakersfield Police Department Communication Center

added a danger message...

senile dementia

...stating that Francisco Serna, was suffering from dementia...

with phone number

...with the phone number

a daughter who can be contacted.

Contact a daughter

Laura Serna was the daughter by Francisco Serna

and I became the day he died

accompanied by neighbors to speak to her family.

I did not want. I stay in my lane.

I have great respect for everyone who dies.

But the neighbors felt it

that I am the person who should speak to the Serna family.

I didn't know Chris.

I heard from his brother and he said

"I can people bring for the vigil?

And a few activists."

And I said, "Sure, let's do it.

Let's do it tonight."

My advice was to work fast.

You have 15 minutes before the cameras go away.

So if you hesitate

or fail to give an interview, or don't protest

or don't do a vigil, you can lose valuable time

in which the people just wipe your hands.

"I need help, but who can I call?"

Because the police killed my father.

In fact, they should help.

I was so excited like i went insane

and talked to everyone who would listen to me.

Still the night after Francisco Serna was killed

the family held a vigil.

A lot of people came

many of our family, friends,

and then these people that we didn't know

who were in the church.

It turned out that she were part of other families

their family members were killed by the police.

I met Laura Serna... I think it was that night

at her mother's house.

Justice for Francisco Serna

You executed your father.

Jason's mother

While the neighbors watched.

And...

that shakes me.

I think this is a club that nobody

wants to belong.

But it's nice that it exists.

Because otherwise there would be nothing.

- Whose streets? - Our streets!

- Whose streets? - Our streets!

- What do we want? - Justice!

- When do we want them? - Now!

The families went about the protests out in Bakersfield.

They wanted new laws

not only in California, but across the country.

I think it grew and grew and grew.

We meet in Bakersfield.

we meet northern and southern California,

or the middle.

I'm proud to stand with you

and your back strengthen while we fight for

to make our legal system fairer.

We had to knock on the door

in the capital of this state, Sacramento,

to let them know that our families...

FRANCISCO SERNA AGE 73

...should never die like this.

We were in Sacramento.

Jason's aunt

It was impressive,

how everyone came together for one cause.

AB392 CALIFORNIA LAW TO SAVE LIFE

Redefines use of force

That was a great success.

let's live!

They needed to hear the names.

We filled the halls.

It was the most powerful

that I've ever seen

392 is now law in the state of California.

It was fascinating.

It was one meeting after another and there was

calls about calls.

Literally.

If there's a rally for someone let's go.

That gives hope. It gives us hope.

We call ourselves the justice family

because we are close.

And that brings us together what sucks.

The day after Francisco Serna's assassination

met the Bakersfield City Council to honor the outgoing mayor.

But the justice family had other plans.

Bakersfield City Council 5, Public Statements

The next speaker.

Jorge Ramírez.

I say with all my heart

that there must be changes.

I love my son and my family.

But I don't think it's fair when you turn your back on us

when we ask for answers.

I cry on the day when a father got up

and spoke before the city council.

Do what's right for this community.

I will not stay behind hide me

and think that everything is fine.

It's time to wake up.

After the city council meeting

discussed activists about another action

for the day.

NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE BETTER EDUCATION

And it was big.

NO MORE EXCUSES FOR THE SHOOTING OF INNOCENTS

It may be far fetched

but how about if we ask the Attorney General...

...an investigation into this initiate police department

because they have one killed a 73-year-old man.

So we called.

Lots of people taking responsibility

carry for the investigation.

But there were a few families...

JUSTICE FOR FRANCISCO SERNA

...the phoned.

Attorney General Kamala Harris

opened the separate investigation.

complaints from the community

and media prompted the authority...

DO NOT CROSS THE POLICE LINE

...to these investigations.

Kamala Harris announced that the DOJ

will start an investigation...

SHERIFF MERITOR 1350

POLICE BLOCK OF CITY OF BAKERSFIELD

...because of violence

by the Police Department.

Bakersfield Police Department before rule changes

That's great. That's a win.

Little victories little by little.

We change things.

Jorge's sister

CITY OF BAKERSFIELD POLICE STATION

But real changes are not easy to reach.

Behind the wall of silence:

Like law enforcement punish their whistleblowers

have police stations

a culture of protection.

That's why there is...

Reporter, Mother Jones

...so few prosecutions by police officers.

A big part of law enforcement

comes from the families themselves.

Maybe your grandpa was a police chief

or they were on a soccer team

or drove car races.

It's a "good ole boys club".

I go to a church and it's a multiracial,

multiethnic community.

BELIEVE

It is a beautiful place to pray...

Former detective, Bakersfield PD

...because you next Filipinos and Asians seated

and Blacks and Hispanics and Whites.

And I have 20 not done for years.

I had no interaction or relationship

with people other than

my small circle of police officers.

I was only in contact with them.

If you have people who review your offenses...

...and they are friends and family,

they want the best.

Former detective, NYPD

You tend to your peers to protect at all costs.

Even if the mind and the evidence says otherwise.

POLICE

Because of the camaraderie.

you go out give your life if necessary...

...to protect other police officers.

You will put yourself in the line of fire.

You will do what needs to be done.

The toxic police culture

forces you to to join together

because it's us against them.

This is toxic police culture.

There is a code that police officers expected

that they are not expose each other

not about the practices or the procedures speak,

that have been followed or not followed,

basically not about to speak to other police officers.

In Kern County and especially in Bakersfield there

a lower level of accountability

than anywhere else in the country.

SAMUEL SINYANGWE

10-12% NATIONWIDE CONFIRMED COMPLAINTS

Statewide will be10% to 12%

of all complaints about misconduct confirmed

and bring to account what is little.

In Bakersfield 6% and at the

most severe forms of misconduct, 0%.

So there is less here accountable than anywhere else.

And when I say less, I mean

Zero Responsibility for Misconduct.

THE BAKERSFIELD POLICE

SHOOTOUTS WITH PARTICIPATION OF OFFICIALS

The accountability of policemen depends

policy manuals.

USE OF VIOLENCE 300.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Here the scope is defined

for use of force.

When it comes to the internal It's about discipline and whether officials

to be held accountable

it depends what the rules say.

The Policies Bakersfield 2012 had

had a broad Deadly Force Standard.

300.4 USE OF DEATH FORCE

The word "appropriate" is often used

especially in Directive 300,

reasonably reasonable

governing the use of force.

This standard of "Adequacy" means

as long as the officer believed...

An officer may use deadly force use to protect yourself or others

if an imminent threat

of bodily harm to the officer or another person exists

...that there is a threat

that the official is authorized would be to use deadly force.

This policy does not state

what is elsewhere.

GENERAL INSTRUCTION TO THE USE OF FORCE

If the officer believes

there is a threat...

G. FIREARMS AND OTHER USE OF FORCE.

No as a last resort

...there must be no other options,

before they have any kind of allowed to use deadly force.

The general conclusion

which is to be drawn

is that the police departments should seriously ask

whether the guidelines...

HEROES WORK HERE

...the security of the people, for you

are responsible increase.

holds one accountable

let her lose the pension

let her family know how it is

when they are in prison.

You don't see that.

I can't name one.

if you can then please let me know

who was held accountable

or for murder in Kern County in the last 10, 15 years.

This is part of Frustration in the community...

...and that's what prompted her to

to ask the Ministry of Justice.

The investigation lasted five years.

UNCONSTITUTIONAL PATTERNS AND PRACTICES

The results matched with a report

from the ACLU in 2021.

Both came to the conclusion that the use of force

is still a problem.

The Bakersfield Police Department continues to use excessive force

The conclusion was

that they violate rights.

They harm the community.

Deadly Violence...

BPD remains one of the deadliest police departments

The BPD has a policy and practice the racially discriminatory

and unconstitutional subterfuge controls

retaliatory criminal charges against individuals

...retaliation against individuals,

excessive use of dogs.

Lots of the same unconstitutional pattern

and practices still will

used by the Bakersfield Police Department.

After announcing its results,

demanded the California DOJ

a series of reforms under the supervision

of the Attorney General.

Today we announce

that the California Department of Justice

a comparison with the city

Bakersfield has closed

and the Bakersfield Police Department.

It became one Approval judgment closed,

which tells the department

how to act.

MONITORING

They set up a team

that the implementation of the decree should monitor.

Chief of Police, Bakersfield PD

The concerns are unfounded

and we have nothing to hide.

Over the years, courts have

the efforts of the police repeatedly confirmed

protect the rights of our residents.

The authorities don't have that much anymore Fear of declarations of consent

and judgments as they used to be.

Well, the monitor does just that: He monitors.

Some say that consent forms

require surveillance,

but few incentives or offer punishments,

and the departments do not can move substantial changes.

The departments they say can join

without that to improve behavior.

We don't agree with everything

what the Attorney General said.

We never...

... violated constitutional rights,

or used excessive force,

against which we do not have taken criminal action.

That does not happen in our organization.

But...

carrot and stick.

Either you give them an incentive...

that means additional resources and means...

or you punish them.

Punish them with prison.

prison, convictions.

Anything but this two things does not affect

on the toxicity

which are still in many of law enforcement agencies prevails.

CITY OF BAKERSFIELD POLICE STATION

We asked the BPD if an officer about the leave of absence

been disciplined beyond

in the last 15 years.

"There were two shootings

since 2006 leading to a disciplinary proceedings

for the officer involved."

i have my garden created in memory of my son.

Because I'm here every day can spend with him

and I feel that he is with me.

Jason's mother

The whole time.

He should be remembered

as a person who tried to make it in life.

He wasn't perfect. Nobody is perfect.

Jorge's father

But he was. he was a man who loved his family.

Just because someone has a past

is not what he is.

It doesn't determine who you are today.

And my brother was a wonderful person.

Jorge's sister

He was so full of life. He had great kids.

And...

I'm sorry.

If James were standing in front of me now , I would...

just want to hug him and cry.

James De La Rosa's best friend

tell him i love him

I would just tell him: "I hope you're proud of me."

I feel if he were here

I would look at him as I would be five years old again.

Francisco's son

run and jump into his arms,

as if he was from the work comes home.

I wish I could do that to him today.

I miss him.

David was a very happy young man

and this is what he brought me...

David's mother

...every mother's day... peanut brittle,

because he knows i love it.

He was just a good boy.

It was unfair.

David's brother

Justice would be for me

if another family gets justice.

That a cop is held accountable.

When a cop kills someone

he might have to go to jail.

We haven't achieved that yet.

And that's all we see want: We want these officials

be held accountable.

DO NOT CROSS SHERIFF LINE

watchdog organizations explain that the reform efforts

in Bakersfield none significant impact

on the frequency of police killings

or on the number of prosecutor had.

Functionally there is no accountability...

...for the use of deadly force.

So this way exists functionally

not in the city of Bakersfield.

The only other way is financial accountability,

to sue the police and a severance payment

to receive for the misconduct.

I would do it can bring court.

they wanted drag my past into the dirt.

My son's.

Our whole family is underground.

So I accepted $100,000.

For my grandchildren.

I know it's nothing

but this is a form of guilt for me

'Cause if you give me a dollar

are you guilty of mine to have murdered his son.

Kern County will pay $3.4 million

In the past were there family members

250 thousand dollars for comparison

parishioners who have received payments

$400,000

but some laws and guidelines prevent

to hold the police accountable.

when we complained

we didn't know it was is a civil action involving money.

We didn't know the civil suit

not to a criminal charge leads.

The city of Bakersfield agrees a comparison

with the family of Jorge Ramirez too

We called lawyers

but it is like that.

Justice is... it's money.

They give money to families.

Silencing you doesn't solve

the problem.

they cover it up and that's not okay.

Settlement over $3.4 million.

It was useless.

It was an agreement between the law firm and the district.

Some comparisons happen out of court.

Some in court proceedings,

but usually they don't include one acknowledgment of guilt.

The money that Bakersfield paid to family members

does not come from the salaries of police officers.

You pay nothing for it.

It's the taxpayers and taxpayers

who pay for severance pay.

That raises a question.

Is there a mechanism to hold them accountable

when there is no financial incentive.

If we attack their pensions,

their own money

something will change.

But if it about public finances

it won't change

The hidden costs in the billions

Reporters have examples by thousands of officials

their offices made several comparisons have paid

in things they have been accused of.

And no one really keeps records about the cops,

who have these criminal records.

loved people

don't return.

Investigative Journalist, The Garden

And to claim that there is justice

at the end of a civil process is fundamentally unfair

towards the families

who lost loved ones.

To be honest I don't know

what is the value of life for them

but it's worth more than a few million dollars.

That's the one I like.

We'll wash it.

We have to clean this up.

i can't give up

He gave everything in the ring.

He gave everything.

Justice for JORGE RAMIREZ

Now I have to see that I give everything I have for him.

That was one of my last pictures.

It's all messed up.

That was at Grandpa's party.

Justice for my brother is different now.

It now means things to change in his honor

and the life of one to save other people.

No other family shall experience

what we had to go through

because it will literally destroy you.

Jason's mother

The days are different.

you try her to make it as normal as possible.

Life isn't the same anymore.

Have outside of work I no contact.

JUSTICE FOR DAVID SILVA

There are days when i don't see any people

I spend much time with walking up and down.

That changes everything. It changes...

David's brother

It's not a one-time experience. It's not a phase.

It is the life.

And it's real.

I don't think one mother can explain the loss.

David's mother

So deep.

And...

I believe it has with the years

not many people say that it will be easier.

No, it won't get any easier.

I fought a lot.

I don't go out that often anymore.

Francisco's daughter

I'm just more of a couch potato.

- Hands up. - Do not shoot.

- Hands up. - Do not shoot.

- What do we want? - Justice.

- When? - Now.

organizing helps me deal with it

and I don't want in mine get stuck depression

I don't want in mine pinning sadness

No justice, no peace no killer police.

JUSTICE 4 FOR MY BROTHER-IN-LAW JORGE

It takes a lot of courage to speak his mind.

They are not powerful people. You are not rich.

You don't belong to the people from which one would expect

to exert influence.

But the pain she's over felt the loss of their son

her brother... really drove her to fight.

They fought to be journalists how I paid attention to them

and fight for that in the future

the same does not happen to other people

as happened to their relatives.

The police killed my father.

you have my father murdered in cold blood.

They shot my son seven times in the back.

Five times.

He was shot and died.

Our pain is the same here.

We all suffer every day and think of our loved ones

who are no longer with us.

We are here to stand up for them.

OK. One two three.

We love you! Yay!

You know I have hope

that someone sees what I see.

You don't have to experience what I experience

to understand that there is a problem here.

But if you don't change it it will happen again and again.

I hope one day will Bakersfield get up

and come together as a church and

and a change demand in law enforcement.

Jason's aunt

I hope so for all of us.

We get some kind of justice and change.

So I'm ready to continue to invest my time

and being Jason's voice

and on the side to stand by the other families

who suffer the same pain that I experience every day.