Skip to Content
News

Pasadena Quietly Settles With Family of Reginald Thomas Jr., Killed by Police in 2016

The city of Pasadena will pay the family of a mentally ill man who died during a brawl with Pasadena police a settlement of $1.5 million, a move approved by the City Council in a closed-door session in late March.

The family of 35-year-old Reginald Thomas Jr. filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city that argued the Pasadena Police Department used excessive force and then tried to hold back evidence to cover up the incident that left Thomas dead.

The Pasadena Star-News confirmed the settlement on Sunday evening.

Career Harper, the family's lawyer, told the LA Times that Pasadena officers were well aware of Thomas's mental illness. In a detailed account of the incident, the paper described Thomas was repeatedly shocked with stun guns, battered with batons, and punched and kicked in the head.

The Pasadena Star-News said the decision to settle the lawsuit came after closed City Council session three weeks before the case was scheduled for trial.

In the last few years, Pasadena police violent confrontations with black men have caused public outcry and protests, including the killings of 19-year-old Kendrec McDade and 21-year-old Christopher Ballew. In early March Police Chief Phillip Sanchez announced his retirement as department criticism continued.

Across the country, deaths of black men under police custody have caused national protest. An updated 2016 study by the American Journal of Public Health found that the rate of non-Latino black men killed via legal intervention was almost three times higher than of white men. The study focused on use of lethal force between 2010 and 2014.

In Pasadena, the settlement with Thomas's family does not mean the city of Pasadena and the police department have admitted to liability or fault, Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said in a statement.

While satisfied with the settlement, Thomas' family would like his autopsy report to become public and for the officers involved in the incident to be criminally charged, Harper relayed in a statement. An investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey is continuing.

RELATED: Tense Scenes at Westmont Building Where Teen Died in Sheriff Shooting

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Brisket Pupusas Bring Ray’s BBQ Back to Its Salvadoran Roots in Huntington Park

“This is a special item that we kind of gate-kept,” says Sebastian Ramirez of the giant masa treats stuffed with stretchy mozzarella, Salvadoran frijoles de seda, and hand-chopped brisket that’s been smoked for 16-18 hours on post oak in the bellies of Ray’s two behemoth J&R Smoke-Masters. 

May 13, 2025

The Nine Best Tacos In The Inland Empire 

From tacos de canasta in Fontana to brain tacos in San Bernardino and insanely tasty puffy tacos filled with chile verde in Alta Loma, these tacos fuel the Inland Empire's working class and taco fanatics. All are worth the drive.

May 13, 2025

Post-Punk Rising Star Depresión Sonora on L.A. Culture Shock and Tacos

L.A. TACO caught up with Madrid’s rising post-punk crooner over tacos de pulpo on Sunset Boulevard. We talked about the critical differences in the tacos in L.A., Spain, and Mexico, his favorite cheeseburger in Los Feliz, and a new album out soon.

May 12, 2025

Baekjeong KBBQ Brings Its Star Galbi Back to Koreatown

While a pop-up in East Hollywood offers Nigerian and Kenyan influences in dishes like rosemary lamb suya and short rib biriyani, and Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer bring brisket to an L.A. mall.

May 9, 2025

City of L.A. Quietly Abandons Plans To Expand Electric Car Share Program To South L.A.

BlueLA shut down last month after the city received a multi-million dollar grant to expand the car share service into South Los Angeles.

See all posts