Officer Covarrubias' family responds to DA report that shooting was justified

Posted: Jun 19, 2012 8:20 PM by Michael Handler; KSBY News

The lawyer for the Covarrubias family sent us this response:

"On behalf of Ms. Covarrubias and the surviving members of Officer Albert Covarrubias' family, we disagree with the conclusions of the investigation alleging justifiable lethal force. The Covarrubias family is deeply saddened by the results of the investigation conducted by the Santa Barbara's District Attorney's office. However, it comes as no surprise. As a potential defendant in the civil lawsuit for the wrongful death and use of excessive force against Officer Covarrubias, we would expect the DA's office to reach a resolution that would exonerate public officials of any wrong doing. We feel that the investigation was conducted with a predetermined outcome clearing the city and its officials of any wrong doing. The attempt to protect officials at the highest levels of the police department is blatant and unacceptable. This is an attempt between respective agencies to scratch one another's back and keep the public in the dark.

Nearly a dozen detectives and officers were present at this arrest. An arrest conducted at approximately 2:00 am at a DUI Check point, while Officer Covarrubias was still on duty. The actions of all the officers involved were clear violation of proper police policies and procedures. In the District Attorney's own investigative report, there at least 13 instances where command level officers expressed extreme hesitation in arresting Officer Covarrubias in such a reckless and haphazard manner. The Covarrubias family is left with several unanswered question: what was the urgency for an early morning arrest of an armed officer? Was Officer Covarrubias placed under arrested while on duty to justify the use of lethal force?

These are all questions that will be answered through an independent investigation that our office will be conducting. The depth of this matter extends far beyond the surface of what was investigated and will soon be brought to light after we take a closer look into what really happened. To conclude that executing a fellow police officer at a DUI checkpoint was justified is an outrage and does no justice to Officer Albert Covarrubias or to his loving family. We believe that the allegations of inappropriate sexual relations have been overplayed and sensationalized in order to divert the public's attention to what is clearly foul play. The senseless killing of a newly married officer while on duty does not make sense. To allege that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship is an attempt to assassinate his character and memory of those who loved him. There is more to this story and the public will be hearing it soon."