Mid-City slaying shows the difficulty of protecting domestic violence victims

The slaying of a Mid-City woman who had just filed a domestic violence complaint against her boyfriend underscores the difficulties of stopping an attacker determined to strike his or her victim, domestic violence experts said.

“I’ve worked with offenders for the last 15 years, and they don’t care if there’s one restraining order, five restraining orders. If they want to get to the victim, they’ll get to the victim," said Elizabeth Vera, director of Community Support Services in L.A. "They will do everything physically and psychologically to abuse their victim."

Los Angeles police investigators continued today to investigate how a man eluded officers watching a Mid-City apartment and managed to kill Flor Medrano, who had just filed a domestic violence complaint.

Wilshire Division officers who specialize in domestic abuse were on the lookout for the man after taking  Medrano's report, counseling her and returning her to her Cochran Avenue apartment Wednesday evening.

The officers escorted Medrano, 30, to her door, checked to make sure the apartment appeared safe and then returned to their unmarked patrol car to watch for the suspect, officials said. The officers later tried to check on Medrano via cellphone and tell her they were leaving, but they were cut off. When they reestablished contact and heard screaming, the officers rushed to the apartment and saw a man stabbing Medrano.

Unable to gain entry through a metal security door, the officers fired through a front window, fatally wounding the attacker, according to police sources who asked not to be named because of the ongoing investigation.

Vera said she was not surprised by the determination shown by the suspect. She said offenders are often so focused on the assault that nothing else concerns them. “Chances are with most offenders, my experience is if they believe they’re going to die, they’re going to take their victim with them. It’s almost suicide by cops.”

Vera said the greatest time of risk for a victim is when they’re trying to leave an offender.

“That is when she is most likely to be assaulted or murdered,” she said. 

The chain of events in the Mid-City case began Wednesday afternoon when Medrano flagged down patrol officers, saying she had been raped, according to the Police Department sources.

At the Wilshire station, she declined to go forward with the charges, the sources said, but told officers that she had been seeing the man off and on and that he was abusing her physically.

During the course of the investigation, the suspect sent Medrano several text messages, leading investigators to believe he was possibly in the area. Officers went to Medrano's apartment but did not find him, Capt. Eric Davis of Wilshire Division said.

Medrano was counseled about seeking a restraining order and going to a domestic violence shelter, but said she wanted to go home, sources said.

Vera said it's common for victims of domestic violence to turn down shelter.

“There’s this sense that even if they seek assistance that they’re not going to be protected from the offender, because for the victim a restraining order is a piece of paper," she said. "It doesn’t stop a bullet, it doesn’t stop a knife, it doesn’t stop an assault.”

Here are some resources for victims of domestic violence:

L.A. County Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 978-3600

National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233

Laura's House (Orange County): (949) 498-1511

Valley Trauma Center Rape Crisis Center: (818) 886-0453

Interval House (Orange County): (714) 891-8121

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: A woman who said she is Flor Medrano's friend weeps while talking on the phone as police investigate Medrano's death and the police-shooting death of the suspect in the slaying. Medrano had filed a domestic abuse report several hours earlier. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Comments

[bigpicture]

Thank you for a more detailed report. At first it seemed like the officers dropped the ball and let the victim fend for herself. I imagine this is very difficult for everyone involved, including the officers, but even more so for the victim and suspects families. Also, thank you for including the domestic violence resource numbers.

[TruthTeller]

The lesson here is the police cannot protect you.
The Government cannot protect you.
The ultimate right & responsibility for self-preservation is and will always be with the threatened individual.

Any law or movement that seeks to restrict these rights are immoral & an abridgment of basic human rights.

Give up your right to protect your life & you give up your right to life.

You never need a gun, until you really need a gun. It is always better to have a gun & not need it then to need a gun and not have it.

[Jan Kerr]

Restraining orders are a big waste of time and effort. A person who is nuts enough to attack does not care a fig about a restraining order. I really wonder why anyone would even bother. In fact, if you think that getting a restraining order against anyone will stop him (or her) you are just deluding yourself. There is no security in a piece of paper.

[Ryan]

The only defense against a determined attacker is offense. There is no guarantee that Medrano would have survived had she been armed, but she would have had a fighting chance.

When repeated efforts to disarm perpetrators fail, the only possible alternative to proactively incarcerating anyone who is accused of domestic violence (which has equal rights violations written all over it) is to arm the victims.

[Edward Cradduck]

This victum and others like her should be encouraged, advised, and taught self defense to include the use of firearms. The idea of restraining orders, police protection, and/or shelter access does not compare to the effectivness of the ability to defend oneself. A lesson should be learned here that is obviously not discussed. Those resources that go to court, police or shelter solutions should go to self defense uses that are very effective at the moment of assult.

[Ohio guy]

Simple - most of the rest of the country knows it. Ultimately, there is only one person responsible for your safety - YOU. Not the government, not the police, not private security, but YOU. In most of the rest of this country YOU are allowed (after training) to carry a concealed weapon - your last line of defense against a determined attacker. Without that right, YOU will always be subservient to the larger, stronger, and faster attacker. Why do YOU so willingly sacrifice the right to self defense that our forefathers sacrificed so much for?

[LAMom]

Those poor cops - outsmarted by a felon. Bottomline, they failed to protect and serve. Stop with the excuses.

[Educator]

Violence Prevention Education is the key to tackle this pandemia! Starting with our children...we need to change the culture of violence against women & gender discrimnation... and of course in addition to that provide victims with the tools to be safe.
We cannot allow more of these outrageous crimes!

[Linda]

It is now more than obvious -- to REASONABLE people, at least -- that the police did everything that could REASONABLY be expected of them...especially since the victim wouldn't even file charges against psycho-boy.

[mary]

LAMom, do you see nothing in the victim's actions that she might have been able to do to protect herself?
I think the problem started with the victim who got into the relationship of her own free will and didn't recognize the problems when he first began abusing her. She also denied the many outlets offered to her.
What galls me more than anything was the video this morning of a neighbor of the victim's who acted as if the cops were to blame while recounting how SHE heard the man pounding on the front door and yelling - but she didn't call the cops or the victim. Then she continued on to say that she heard 'banging' that went on for two hours in the apartment - but didn't call 911 or attempt to intervene in any manner.
Cops did what they could, the blame shouldn't rest on them entirely.
Society, and all the cultural divides we have existing in society, MUST improve the value of women and children so that they refuse to allow weak males to resort to this violence. These types of males require mates that they can manipulate and who harbor low self esteem, society can strive to eliminate the cultural problems that diminish women but it will not happen overnight. Wish we could cull the herd of all violent types, but we'll have to hope to breed it out of society...and that will be up to the very women who are at risk.

[whatstherealnews]

The solution is simple. GPS companions to Restraining Orders that offer victim notification devices. Reporters aren't covering the solution.

[donalds]

Stalking Legislation needs to be increased to expand training, resources and services to include ALL stalking crimes for the victims. Domestic, Gang Recruiters, Organized Stalking and Bullies at the Work and School Place. Trained staff and volunteers to work with the victim, police and DA's office to document the stalking activity and hold them accountable BEFORE they strike. What good is a retraining order if the only one watching the stalking is the victim? Childhood Bullies grow up to be Adult Bullies! If you do an internet search on Organized Stalking you will see that this is a very disturbing, hateful, ignored and growing trend worldwide. Help increase stalking legislation by calling or writing your representatives.

[LAMom]

Oh NOW I get it -- The police are only needed to find the bodies after the crime. My mistake.

[TheBigPicture]

The bottom line is that you're responsible for keeping yourself and your family safe. First of all, stay out of unsafe situations. Secondly, if you're attacked, you should possess the weaponry and training to eliminate that threat.

If you really think that most police officers are able to effectively defend you, you're delusional...Police are good at responding after the fact, collecting evidence and conducting an investigation for prosecution later on down the road...even if they're right outside your door when the attack occurs.

[Jacob Nieder]

I was hesitant to read this article because I thought it was going to be the same ol,' same ol' article that blames the victim. So I was pleasantly surprised to read Baxter's article that brings in a real perspective about domestic violence. I liked the fact that the article mentioned that no restraining order would have prevented this tragedy as well as information that the greatest time of risk for a victim is when they’re trying to leave an offender. It's time that we talk about domestic violence as a public health emergency. We should all be willing to put up with a little more red tape in order for this city to avoid more yellow tape.

Jacob

[TheBigPicture]

Who's going to pay for all of these additional services Donald. How about having the cycle of violence victim stop dating the crazy suspect...And we can save a bunch of money...How about if you choose to continue these dangerous relationships, you're on your own...I think redirecting funds from domestic violence incidents to academic scholarships would be money better spent...

[donalds]

whatstherealnews:
Very good idea on the GPS tracker to go along with the restraining order. I will pass your idea on, as I continue the fight for increased stalking legislation. Thank you.

[Ken]

The only silver lining here is that the murderous thug will not be around to harm anybody else.
Ladies, dating a bad boy may be exiciting and fun... until he kills you or someone you love. Please consider dating one of those "boring" nice guys instead. And if you do find that you have let a bad boy into your life, do whatever you can to escape/protect yourself. You can't "love" him to a place where he'll stop his path towards killing you.

[Diamond]

@Mary...You hit it right on the head, the bottom line is that when you see tell tale signs of a psychopath, get out! I always tried to date guys that I met through other people so I could get a better history about the guy. This woman refused the help of the police as most women do who are victims of domestic violence...all the police can do is offer her help, it's up to her to take it. I only wished that she had went to a family member or friend instead, but what would have stopped this psychopath from finding her? Like Mary said, these men prey on women with low self esteem, who are lonely and want companionship, like most women do. The sad part about all of this is that she left behind a 3 year old daughter who will never see her mother again.

[p.f.stone]

I offer this hypothesis as as a catalyst for discussion:

The assailant was pounding on the victims door and demanding entry. Did he finally manage to gain entry by force of breaking the locking mechanism?

NO. The victim finally relented and voluntarily unlocked
the door.

WHY? Overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame.

Over What?
Feeling that her neighbors were already upset and blaming her for allowing this situation to occur which was disturbing their nightly rest.

What is this about?
I recall an automobile collision a few years ago where the car waiting to make a left turn did so as my car proceeded straight through the intersection on a green/yellow light. That driver was automatically at fault.
When asked why she had initiated her left turn before the oncoming traffic had cleared or stopped, the female driver responded that she had felt urged by the car behind her to begin her turn. She somehow felt a need to avoid the perceived anger of the driver behind her if they had been forced to wait another cycle due to her lack of swiftness.

It is truly sad to know that some people (most likely female) during their early development were under control of someone who succeeded in brainwashing them into accepting responsibility for the consequence of actions not under their control or taken by others.

[fsilber]

Knives are less lethal than guns, so just think how much deader she would now be had her ex-boyfriend been armed with a gun. Thank goodness killing her with a knife required her ex-boyfriend to apply a bit of elbow grease -- a gun makes killing too easy.

Thank goodness she didn't have a gun. Her ex-boyfriend might have taken it away and used it against her. Or she might have used it against him, adding to the Brady Center's statistics about how a gun you own is more likely to be used against a loved one than against a criminal.