The Redlands Police Department has denied any contact with Winston Taylor the night of his death.
Taylor’s family sued RPD in federal court Feb. 3 alleging officers battered Taylor to death.
The complaint claims police chased and beat Taylor after 3 a.m. the night of his death. Police were responding to a burglary at Joe’s Liquor.
Redlands Police Department Spokesperson Carl Baker confirmed the police were responding to a call, but denied they ever caught up with Taylor.
“In the early morning of Dec. 28, 2023, an RPD officer discovered a burglary in progress at Joe’s Liquor, 1748 E. Lugonia Ave. Two suspect vehicles immediately fled the location, and the officer pursued one of the fleeing vehicles east on Lugonia Avenue into Mentone. During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle briefly stopped, and a passenger jumped out and fled on foot. The officer continued to pursue the vehicle and had no contact with the fleeing passenger. Eventually, the driver yielded and was taken into custody. Later, when speaking with police, the suspect driver identified Mr. Taylor as the passenger who ran from his vehicle. At no point in time did any RPD officers have contact with Mr. Taylor. Later that morning, Mr. Taylor was discovered deceased near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and East Colton Avenue, more than a mile from where he was last seen by Redlands Police. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, whose jurisdiction covers the area where Mr. Taylor was found, conducted a thorough investigation. The coroner determined the cause of death to be acute asthma exacerbation,” Baker said by email.
A witness told the family that police were detaining Taylor, said Peter Carr of the Los Angeles PLC Law Group, who represents the plaintiffs.
“They saw him early in the morning and he was being detained by officers across the street. We weren’t able to find that person,” Carr said.
Carr said that Taylor’s wounds were consistent with being handcuffed and beaten.
“The other information is circumstantial in nature: (the police) said that he was dead when they found him, but his body had a number of injuries to it that suggest he was handcuffed, and beaten when he was handcuffed,” Carr said.
He expected the case to be built through discovery.
“There’ll be a discovery phase, we’ll be able to get more information, more information from what the police have,” said Carr.
“The Redlands Police Department (RPD) extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Winston Taylor during this difficult time. The loss of life is always tragic, and our thoughts are with those mourning his passing. However, the allegations made against the RPD by Mr. Taylor’s family are categorically false,” Baker’s statement says.
The complaint brings causes for excessive force, failure to provide medical care, substantive due process, practice causing civil rights violation, negligence, violation of the Bane Act and battery.
Pete Carr, Na’Shaun Neal and Lauren McRae of PLC Law Group, and Jaaye Person-Lynn of her own law office, are co-counsel for the family.
Redlands’ counsel is not yet announced.
California Central District Judge Jesus Bernal presides.
Read the complaint here.
