Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman has been branded "a piece of excrement" by an outraged attorney following his controversial decision to dismiss charges against six California Highway Patrol officers implicated in the George Floyd-like killing of a father of five. The move, executed discreetly just three days before Christmas, has ignited fury among the victim's family and their legal representatives, who accuse Hochman of favouritism toward law enforcement.
Quiet Dismissal Sparks Outrage
The charges were dropped during an unpublicised hearing on December 22, where LA Superior Court Judge Jana Seng, at the District Attorney's request, dismissed all allegations against six of the seven officers involved. The sole remaining officer, Sergeant Michael Little, received a minimal sentence of twelve months probation and a $220 fine after pleading no contest to misdemeanour assault. This outcome has left Edward Bronstein's family and their attorneys shocked and disgusted, with lawyer Luis Carrillo condemning Hochman's actions as a betrayal of justice.
Eerie Parallels to George Floyd Case
Edward Bronstein, a thirty-eight-year-old father of five, died in March 2020 under circumstances hauntingly similar to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis two months later. During a traffic stop on suspicion of driving under the influence, Bronstein was taken to a CHP station in Altadena, where officers attempted to obtain a blood sample. As several officers restrained him face-down, with some applying pressure to his back, Bronstein repeatedly cried out, "I can't breathe," before falling unconscious. He never regained consciousness and was later pronounced dead.
The incident was captured in an eighteen-minute video recorded by Sergeant Little, which the CHP withheld until a judge ordered its release in connection with a wrongful death lawsuit. The footage shows Bronstein pleading for mercy while officers continue to pin him down, with a registered nurse, Arbi Baghalian, attempting to draw blood throughout the ordeal. CPR was not initiated until more than eleven minutes after Bronstein's final screams, a delay that has been heavily criticised.
Legal Battle and Family Anguish
Despite Bronstein's death occurring in 2020, criminal charges were not filed until three years later, following the emergence of the damning video. Sergeant Little and officers Dion Fiorella, Dustin Osmanson, Darren Parsons, Diego Romero, Justin Silva, and Marciel Terry were all charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and assault. However, the recent dismissals have left only Baghalian facing prosecution for involuntary manslaughter, a charge he denies.
The Bronstein family's attorney, Luis Carrillo, revealed that Hochman attempted to persuade the family to support dropping the charges, but they refused, telling him to "go to hell." Carrillo expressed profound disappointment, stating, "The DA is in bed with the cops. They can kill residents in this county and nothing happens. They go free while Mr. Bronstein's kids no longer have their father."
Broader Implications for Police Accountability
Annee Della Donna, another lawyer representing one of Bronstein's children, highlighted the dangerous precedent set by the dismissals. "I think it's a very sad situation when our justice system allows police officers to get away with murder," she said. "We have to hold police officers accountable for crimes like this, otherwise they will go on doing it again and again." She emphasised that Bronstein was handcuffed and not resisting at the time of his death, making the officers' actions particularly egregious.
The case has drawn comparisons to the civil settlement in George Floyd's death, with Bronstein's family securing a record $24 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against California, the second-largest such settlement in the United States. Despite this financial outcome, the family's pursuit of criminal justice has been thwarted by the recent dismissals, leaving them feeling betrayed by the legal system.
Ongoing Prosecution and Defence Arguments
Registered nurse Arbi Baghalian remains the only defendant still facing charges, with a potential four-year prison sentence if convicted. His attorney, Joseph Weimortz, maintains that all defendants, including the CHP officers, are innocent, citing the Los Angeles County Coroner's finding that Bronstein died from acute methamphetamine intoxication. Weimortz criticised the case as politically motivated, initially filed under former DA George Gascon to attract headlines, and expressed disappointment at its continuation under Hochman.
The seven CHP officers were placed on administrative leave in March 2023 when charges were filed, but their current employment status remains unclear. The Daily Mail has contacted both the CHP and the LA District Attorney's office for clarification but has not received responses. As the legal proceedings continue, the Bronstein family and their supporters vow to keep fighting for accountability, underscoring the enduring impact of a tragedy that echoes one of America's most infamous cases of police brutality.
