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Victim of fugitive cop killer files claim against city of LA seeking full reward
The Daily Mail Online ^ | March 9, 2013 | Nina Golgowski

Posted on 03/09/2013 7:07:23 AM PST by Uncle Chip

The California camp ranger carjacked by ex-cop turned fugitive Christopher Dorner last month has filed a lawsuit seeking claim to the entire $1.2 million reward leading to his capture.

Rick Heltebrake, who was robbed at gunpoint by Dorner while driving on a Big Bear-area road last month, has filed his suit against the city of Los Angeles claiming that it was his 911 phone call that led to Dorner's cornering.

The full-time Boy Scouts ranger's life was spared during that carjacking while allowed to safely exit his truck and later call 911.

According to his claim, it was that call that ultimately led to police cornering Dorner three days later in a nearby cabin. 'Mr Heltebrake immediately recognized this man as Christopher Dorner,' his attorney Allen L Thomas wrote in the claim filed on February 19 and obtained by the Los Angeles Times. 'Mr. Heltebrake's telephone call to Deputy [Paul] Franklin notified law enforcement of Mr. Dorner's location, provided a description of the vehicle he was fleeing in and was the substantial factor in the capture of Mr. Dorner at the cabin location,' his attorney wrote. 'Consequently, Mr. Heltebrake accepts the mayor's offer of the entire reward of $1.2 million,' he adds.

A couple kidnapped by Dorner in their rental apartment but who later managed to escape and call 911 reporting him to authorities just before Mr Heltebrake are said by some to be also entitled to the reward.

That's a claim Mr Heltebrake previously acknowledged while saying he'd be fine splitting it three ways.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: allenlthomas; boyscouts; california; christopherdorner; dorner; hubris; leftistmassmurder; losangeles; nemesis; rickheltebrake
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck has said that the recipient of the reward money will be decided according to the completion of their investigation.

Arguments over word technicalities used in advertising the reward have recently suggested that no one will get the money at all, with Dorner having not been captured and convicted.

‘Our personal hope is that the reward will be distributed, but we must follow the rules and respect the procedures of each entity,’ officials said.

1 posted on 03/09/2013 7:07:23 AM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: Uncle Chip
When Dorner took refuge in a vacant vacation cabin he was spotted by housekeeper working the area. She alerted cops to his exact location. It was reported after his demise that she may not be eligible for the reward because he died of self inflicted woulds and the reward flier stipulated the bounty would be paid for, "Information leading to the capture and arrest of..."
2 posted on 03/09/2013 7:28:51 AM PST by Baynative (Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.)
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To: Baynative

OK, I’ll play lawyer. I say that when Dorner was in that cabin and surrounded, he was, in effect, “captured.”

Now, as long as someone yelled “You’re under arrest” then we’re home free.


3 posted on 03/09/2013 7:34:55 AM PST by JoeDetweiler
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To: JoeDetweiler

Let me just add that I don’t think it’s a good idea to try and weasel out of rewards. They are generally meant to appeal to friends of the bad guys who are all too often borderline “bad guys” themselves and already tend to distrust authority. If word gets out that these rewards won’t really be paid, then they will be less effective.


4 posted on 03/09/2013 7:39:09 AM PST by JoeDetweiler
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To: Uncle Chip

Now that it is over, the issue will be intentionally clouded just enough so the reward money won’t have to be paid. I don’t see anyone in California government excited about giving that much money to a mere peasant...


5 posted on 03/09/2013 7:43:12 AM PST by Quickgun (I got here kicking,screaming and covered in someone else's blood. I can go out that way if I have to)
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To: JoeDetweiler

I guarantee that in the official paperwork of all those that responded - someone signed and wrote that they ID’d themselves as police officers - that they stated he was under arrest - and to surrender — it’s a liability if they didn’t write that out...

per the Park Ranger - I would say the two hostages that Donner had - then one escaped to call the police - also has a claim to that reward...the ones that had a house near the actual Incident HQ...


6 posted on 03/09/2013 7:54:23 AM PST by BCW (http://babylonscovertwar.com/index.html)
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To: Uncle Chip

What did the newspaper delivery ladies get out their incident with the nervous (trigger-happy) cops?


7 posted on 03/09/2013 8:04:11 AM PST by ptsal (E)
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To: JoeDetweiler
Let me just add that I don’t think it’s a good idea to try and weasel out of rewards.

Yep --

I would further argue that Dorner was effectually "arrested and convicted" as the reward specifies and then executed -- not that that's a bad thing as it was his choice or conviction to stay in a burning cabin rather than come out and face trial.

The purpose of the reward was for the capture aka arrest of Dorner that would result in a conviction that would result in an execution of sentence. That was essentially accomplished all in one afternoon.

In light of all the money that will be saved in not having to incarcerate him, pay for his legal expenses, provide pens and paper for his diatribes, and coddle him, a million dollar payout for this all to be over is a bargain.

8 posted on 03/09/2013 8:19:07 AM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: ptsal
What did the newspaper delivery ladies get out their incident with the nervous (trigger-happy) cops?

They got their medical bills paid, and the LAPD convinced someone to donate a truck that was given to them, to replace the one that had so many bullet holes in it. And they also have a lawyer, and they're suing. This is America after all.

9 posted on 03/09/2013 8:27:31 AM PST by Bryan
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To: ptsal

They got a new truck that runs on unleaded — and I no doubt there is more to come.

I’m sure the politicians would like to take the cost of that settlement out of the million dollar reward — so that’s why it deserves watching.

The newspaper ladies’ settlement should come out of the police department retirement fund and the salaries of police officers who are now relegated to desk duty or unemployment.


10 posted on 03/09/2013 8:28:03 AM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: JoeDetweiler
I think I misstated the reward. It probably said "arrest and conviction."

But, I'm with you. The people that led the cops to him deserve the cash. Without them he may have killed again.

11 posted on 03/09/2013 8:34:13 AM PST by Baynative (Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.)
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To: JoeDetweiler

Exactly correct. Sometimes there’s a risk to making that call.


12 posted on 03/09/2013 8:41:12 AM PST by jiggyboy (Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: Uncle Chip
According to his claim, it was that call that ultimately led to police cornering Dorner three days later in a nearby cabin.

I thought it was later the same day that he was found in the cabin where he made his last stand.

13 posted on 03/09/2013 8:46:52 AM PST by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
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To: Tammy8

You’re right — but there was another condominium before that where he had been hiding that he had to run from earlier in the day.


14 posted on 03/09/2013 8:55:33 AM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: Uncle Chip

The woman that escaped from her cabin and the carjack victim both need to share the reward. After the first one called LEO Dorner eluded LEO again, so essentially both located him for LEO at different times that day. As I see it both reports were needed for LEO to find him.

If they wimp out on the reward because of technical wording they are shysters because it is clear they never intended to arrest him.


15 posted on 03/09/2013 8:55:42 AM PST by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
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To: Uncle Chip

Did anyone report him from that condo? I thought they only discovered that after it was over.


16 posted on 03/09/2013 8:58:21 AM PST by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
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To: Tammy8

I think the couple who came to clean their condo called the police after they got untied because their car had been stolen as well.

I won’t be surprised if the owner of the cabin that burned down is also included in the reward. The police called them just before sending in the cannisters supposedly to find out if there was a basement in the cabin.

They may have also called to find out if there was anything in there that was irreplaceable and to find out how much the structure was worth. It could be argued that that information that they garnered facilitated what then followed.


17 posted on 03/09/2013 9:14:03 AM PST by Uncle Chip
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Christopher Dorner — the name of the left-wing mass murderer the Partisan Media Shills have tried so hard to make us forget.

Thanks Uncle Chip.


18 posted on 03/09/2013 1:14:51 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: Bryan

It is always a kick to go to one of the downtown eateries, especially for breakfast and catch the conversations. The local potical-types just have to have a meal on someone else’s tab and talk-up their latest scheme. Riordan’s place or one of the hotel diners are just crawling with the rats from city hall.


19 posted on 03/10/2013 5:45:36 PM PDT by ptsal (E)
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