San Francisco Police Commission
to consider settlement to accidental shooting victim

By Adam Martin, Bay City News

March 8, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - The San Francisco Police Commission will commence its 5:30 p.m. meeting today with a closed session to confer with the city attorney regarding an out of-court settlement for a boy who was accidentally shot by a police officer.

In March 2000, San Francisco police Officer Julian Ng fired a shot that hit Maximilian Castro, then 11, in the knee, shattering part of his kneecap. Ng was aiming for one of the Castro family's dogs, which was attacking his partner Jennifer Dorantes, but the bullet ricocheted and struck Castro.

The city paid almost $1 million as a settlement in 2001, according to Commissioner Joe Alioto Veronese, whose law firm represented Castro.

"There was a settlement that year but there was a portion that wasn't final because of the condition of Max's knee was unknown,'' Veronese said today.

The 2001 settlement included a clause that required the city to pay for future medical expenses having to do with Castro's knee.

Tonight, the Police Commission and the city attorney will decide whether to approve the payment.

Veronese said he has recused himself from the case because of a conflict of interest.

After Police Commission approval, the settlement will most likely go before the Board of Supervisors for final approval. The only reason it would not go before the board, Veronese said, is if the amount to be paid is less than $35,000.

Also tonight, the chief's report is expected to include an update on the progress the department has made toward instituting an early warning system aimed at identifying potential discipline problems within the department. Police Chief Heather Fong and Capt. Charles Keohane agreed in February to present the commission with a draft of the early warning system sometime in April.

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