Slain LA cop’s family hopes for retrial 37 years later
On June 2, 1983, Los Angeles Police Officer Paul Verna was killed in the line of duty. That is not in dispute. What is, however, is who pulled the trigger. And a combination of factors — from the current political climate to anti-police sentiments gripping the nation to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s race next month — could impact what happens next. For the Verna family, it means the man prosecutors say fired five bullets into the officer 37 years ago could go free. “You have to honor the family, because they’re all victims,” said Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file officers. “These people that kill cops should never be able to walk the face of the earth again.”