Gang Member on Parole Dies in Custody

Los Angeles:  On February 3, 2007, 31-year-old Mauricio Cornejo died while in a holding cell at the Hollenbeck Police Station after his arrest for narcotics and gun possession.  Cornejo, a local gang member, was taken into custody near the Ramona Gardens Housing Development.

The preliminary investigation by Force Investigation Division investigators has found that around 6:40 that evening, gang officers assigned to the Hollenbeck Police Station stopped the car Cornejo was driving for having a broken tail light.  Once stopped, Cornejo was cooperative at first, then suddenly ran from officers.  Police gave chase and saw Cornejo throw a gun.

As Cornejo approached a bridge near the 2700 block of Lancaster Avenue, he turned and attempted to hit an officer.  Cornejo fought with the officers who requested help.  Once the suspect was finally controlled, he was handcuffed and placed in a police car. 

A search of Cornejo's car revealed evidence of narcotics.  The officers also recovered the loaded .45-caliber handgun, which they had seen thrown during Cornejo's attempted escape. 

The officers took Cornejo to the Hollebeck Police Station for booking. At around 7:30 PM, they noticed him having difficulty breathing and called for an ambulance.  Paramedics pronounced Cornejo dead in the cell.

Force Investigation Division is continuing its investigation into the circumstances of the arrest and Cornejo's death.  The two involved officers received minor injuries during the struggle but did not require hospitalization.

Cornejo was listed as a parolee at large by the California Department of Corrections.

Due to threats against the involved officers by local gang members, the officers' names are not being released at this time.

The coroner's examination will determine the cause of death.

Comments

[Monica]

Hollenbeck Officers have been shot at on more then one occassion in Ramona Gardens. This area has some of the most notorious gang bangers in the city. Residents have stated at community meetings they are terrorized, threatened, and intimindated by them. They fear these gang bangers not the police. Hollenbeck Division has a history of community support from the residents. Many times the community have been outspoken in support of their officers at city council and numerous other meetings. In 2002 they marched in support of their LAPD officers when the homicides were up and were asking for more. Many organizations throughout Hollenbeck Div. have acknowledged their officers for great work done in the community. There are two sides to this story and the fact that Louis Carrillo the ambulance chaser who wants to profit from a tragedy has "his" witnesses commenting in the media makes them questionable.

[Jeff]

One less blight on society! Also, especially to JQ Public and COPWATCH, keep in mind when the press and news broadcasts shows the photo of him at his first holy communion, age 10, that he was actually a 31 year old parolee gang member that tossed a gun and fought with officers!

[Centurion]

Hey Mayor Villa, I hope you pull some of your deep root contacts in Romona Gardens and advise the community that the Police did nothing wrong.

Mauricio Cornejo brought this on himself

[Lew Parker, Hollenbeck]

Where was the public outrage in Ramona Gardens and elsewhere in the city when Hollenbeck Gang Officer Steve Gujda was killed in cold blood by a seventeen-year-old gang member while working a dangerous New Years Eve gunfire suppression task force? Gajda, working for the community, selflessly sacrificed his life for a cause greater than himself.

Meanwhile, certain residents of Ramona Gardens are angered about the death of the homey parolee-at-large bully/thug, whom they now remember "in loving memory" and are looking for revenge.

Then, the involved proactive Hollenbeck officers are further harassed by lying, self-righteous, self-aggrandizing, ambulance-chasing lawyers representing the malefactor's surviving family members. Less than worthless in life, the career criminal will be worth millions in death to his survivors. The "city lottery" almost never fails to reward the misconduct of hoolums at the cost of the morale of the officers of the department.

The Mayor, the City Council, the Police Commission, the Chief and business and community leaders need to stand with, and support, its Police Officers.

[Esther Escorcia]

Dispite of who he was, no one deserves to die, especially due to Police Brutality. This man had a family and children. I the mother of his youngest child cannot beleive the way his life had to end. If he needed to be booked and arrested for whatever he did wrong then so be it. But to take a mans life and decide to beat him to death. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO THIS BUT GOD. HE GAVE US OUR LIFE AND ONLY HE CAN TAKE IT AWAY. All we can do now is pray for justice especially for the 5 children he left behind.

[Jess]

Regardless of the past of a person, there is no justifiable reason that a person should die at the hands of police officers. We have the video and key witnesses that will show that brutality still exist in the LAPD. I am the cousin of Paris, he was 31 years old, my age, Chief Batton says that he died because of health reasons. Believe what you will. Just to clear up some of your misinformation, Luis Carrillo is not representing the family. The facts will come out and justice will prevail. These cops give the rest of the force a bad name. But I guess there are no cover ups or crooked cops with a god complex that exist on the force. How easily we forget the rampart department.

[Jeff]

Hey Esther and Jess,

Do you mean to tell me and actually believe that Cornejo was simply going along with the program during the booking procedure, following all the directions given to him and just out of the blue, for no good reason, the officers just decided to dish out a beat down?!?!? C'mon!

If force was used against him I will bet my next paycheck that he instigated the entire incident. I'll even go one step further, double or nothing, that he was U/I at the time of death.

You feel bad for any kid that loses a parent but really, in the big scheme of things "all" of his kids will be much better off without him around as will the entire community. Heartless? Maybe but nevertheless, true!

[Harry]

Oh well, so he died. The officers did nothing wrong. They did their job. I fhe had a family he should of been think of them. He should of been at home with his kids and family. But nooo! He was rolling around Los Angeles WITH A GUN AND NARCOTICS. So don't pull that ,"he has a family and was a good productive member of society!" crap! Yes pray for his children. pray for them because their father was not man enough to follow the rulles of society. He broke the law. He was going to jail. He died but not because of the police. Blame all you want to. It was his own falt, like it or not. I wonder what he was going to do with the illegal drugs and the handgun? And hey JESS there are plenty of justifiable reason for people to die at the hands of ther police. One is to protect themselves against deadly force. To protect others against deadly force. What would you want us to do against someone pointing a handgun at a police officer? Use harsh language? You need to get real or get lost! And you can say Rampart scandle all you want too. 2 bad cops went to jail and all the rest are free and were never procecuted. They are even winning a million dollar law suit against the city for their unfair treatment. And your right we will forget about the 2 criminals in police uniforms. Keep living in the past. You will go no where!

[DAVID]

I GUESS RAMPART NEVER HAPPEND HUH? ITS ALL A FIGMENT OF OUR IMAGINATION.

MY UNCLE DID NOT DESERVE THAT WAY. HAVENT YOU LOOKED AT HIS PAST RECORD? HE HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR SIMILAR CHARGES. WHATS THE DIFFERENCE? I'LL TELL YOU ITS A CORRUPTED POLICE OFFICER. ACCORDING TO SERGEANT ESCALANTE MY UNCLE WAS PERFECTLY FINE. HE ASSURED MY AUNT. AND I QUOTE "YOUR BROTHER IS PERFECTLY FINE, I JUST SPOKE WITH HIM" THIS WAS AT 8:00PM. WASN'T HE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT 7:30PM? ACCORDING TO YOUR REPORT. YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT. YOU MESSED UP BY NOT TAKING HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.

[SouthEnd P-3]

Esther & Jess, This will all be a lot easier once you stop and think and realize that Cornejo was up to no good. Why would he carry a gun? Why would he possess narco? Why would he run and then fight with police? Because he's misunderstood? No the fact is (and YOU KNOW IT!!!!) is that Cornejo was a career criminal, the scum on earth that we came on this job to get rid of. You should be glad he died because all of his kids would have probably turned out like him. You may think I'm cold hearted, but I don't care. He's gone and the world is a better place without him. Like it or not, you know it's true. And please....save me the reply telling me how great a father he was and what a loving husband he was and how he did everything for his family...because honestly...it's all BS.

[?]

This is all bullshit....Do all you people supporting the lapd really believe that the murder of Maricio Cornejo was justified. I witness police harrasment everyday. I live in "AVENUES 43" territory. Where police harrass, punk, and do what they want. The LAPD is ther own gang face it. These people beat up gang members as if the LAPD where gang members banging on some other gang. Where are the training guidlines for these officers at?

[John Doe p-2]

I look at it this way...in the prodomanantly Italian areas of the east coast, there are still career mafia members. All of these individuals can be seen on Sundays (at noon) gathering with family members for Sunday dinner. You will see them playing, eating, and teaching their sons, and daughters right from wrong, morals, ethics, and respect. And after the kids are in tidy in their beds, the fathers are commiting extorsion, murder, and mayhem. Are they great fathers? They sure look it, and show it. Then as time goes on, they wind up incarcerated, or murdered. Now the children are fatherless, and MOST of the time the children begin a life of crime just as there father did. This man may have been a great father....but he CHOSE to be a criminal...PERIOD. Remember, IF YOU LIVE BY THE SWORD.....

[Centurion]

The world is a much better place without Cornejo. I hope his children one day are told the truth about thier loser of a father and their minds are not brainwashed with lies about the LAPD.

[Jess]

All you pro-cops can say and think what you will. The family knows the run around that we are getting just to get answers from your LAPD. I know the checkered past of my cousin. He was a parolee that knew the rules. Who is going to believe a parolee if he reports the incident? The Arresting officers went to far and now the higher ups are scrambling to cover their story of a couple of beat cops that messed up and are not any better than street thugs with a badge. The video does not show any gun and shows police officers striking him center mass. The body we saw showed the strikes all over his body. Isnt procedure to strike limbs to immobilize a suspect? Then why was his body and head riddled with bruises? Again, I state that there is no justifiable reason for my cousin to have died, unarmed parolee in handcuffs, beat to a pulp. Where was the medical attention? Procedures were not followed and negligiance was evident. We laid my cousin to rest but the fight will continue. Our gang is stronger than the LAPD gang. The LAPD (specifically Hollenbeck) has awaken a community. It has been united and is fighting for the cause of getting these cops with god complex off the force. There is no stopping the wheel in motion. Our fight is to get the cops off the force so another family would not have to go through the struggle of getting bogus answers from Captains and Seargents that do not care for the community and rather "protect and Serve" their own divisions.

[RCJP]

Centurion:

I'd like to exchange email with you regarding another post you commented on back in November.

Please email me at rcjparry(at)yahoo.com

[Chris]

Over the past week families in the Ramona Gardens housing project have been struggling to cope with the loss of son, brother, and friend. Not only was Mauricio Cornejo a part of this community, but he was a good man who didn’t need to die. The LAPD’s motto is, “To Protect and Serve.” But just who is it that they are protecting? It obviously wasn’t Mauricio. The LAPD has been involved in numerous excessive force investigations, and in my opinion this is just another one to add to the list. Ever since LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo announced the gang injunction in the Ramona Gardens area, legal residents of this community have been forced to disassociate themselves from their own friends. It was said that the residents of this community feared leaving their homes because of the gangs in this area, but why is it that if you go through the neighborhood you see children running free and families having parties and celebrations. The only thing this injunction has accomplished is that it has given the LAPD a reason to hassle anyone in this area that is in groups of two or three. In essence, it has given them the opportunity to take away the rights of the people in this community. If they LAPD is really protecting this community, then who will protect them from their protectors? Yes, it is true that some of the people in this community have had a troubled past, but they have served their time. We all make mistakes in life, and although Mauricio did make the mistake of running from the police that night he didn’t deserve to be killed for it. Its time for Chief William Bratton and his officers to admit to their mistakes: the mistake of beating Mauricio into a state of semi-consciousness, the mistake of leaving Mauricio injured and unattended in a jail cell, and the mistake of treating the people in Ramona Gardens like criminals instead of what they are; human beings.
all the negative thing's that are being said about Mr.Cornejo are proably comments by the officers in question. they hide behind there badges and now behind a computer. in a community meeting the public was advised that the officers in question would be assigned to other areas so how does this help pulic safety? now they are re routed to terrorize another community and family. it is time for officers to start doing time for there crime!! no dollar amount will bring back Mr. Cornejo but I know weather in this life or another we reap what we sow so if the officers never face a judge here I know and believe in God and know that one day justice will prevail when we meet our maker....R.I.P. Paris

[B&W; Op]

Jess illustrates a major problem with some members of the L.A. community: IGNORANCE. Being ignorant of issues and making comments about those issues turns the discussion nowhere.

Jess wrote:

"The Arresting officers went to far and now the higher ups are scrambling to cover their story of a couple of beat cops that messed up and are not any better than street thugs with a badge."

The "higher-ups" as Jesse put it, are fordibben BY LAW from making any comments until the investigation is completed on the death, and the investigation is completed on the officers' actions. Again, the law prohibits anyone commenting on what happened until ALL THE FACTS are analyzed.

Jesse also said:

"The video does not show any gun and shows police officers striking him center mass. The body we saw showed the strikes all over his body."

Who said that you need to see a gun before using physical force? Suspects are PROHIBITED BY LAW from resisting arrest. Officers are REQUIRED AND PERMITTED BY LAW to use reasonable force to effect an arrest and overcome resitance. Again, the investigation will resolve those issues.

"Isnt procedure to strike limbs to immobilize a suspect? Then why was his body and head riddled with bruises? Again, I state that there is no justifiable reason for my cousin to have died, unarmed parolee in handcuffs, beat to a pulp."

Jesse, what do you know about "procedure"? And what YOU think is justifiable or not is irrelevant. The US Supreme Court ruled a long time ago that the level of force used by an officer must be evaluated based on the information the officer had at the time, and the reasonableness of it is measured by analyzing what another officer with the same information, training and experience, would do in a similar situation. What the suspect's family, the community, the officer's supervisor, and even the chief of police think is irrelevant.

"Procedures were not followed and negligiance was evident."

Again, you can't comment on procedures and you're not the authority as to what was negligence, since you don't have the facts and the results of an UNFINISHED investigation.

"Our gang is stronger than the LAPD gang. The LAPD (specifically Hollenbeck) has awaken a community."

It's good of you to make the above statement, so other members of the L.A. community can see that gangsters think they have the moral authority to dictate which officers work in their neighborhoods and which don't. Gangsters don't have a say on the subject and never will.

"Our fight is to get the cops off the force so another family would not have to go through the struggle of getting bogus answers from Captains and Seargents that do not care for the community and rather "protect and Serve" their own divisions."

Once again, gangsters will not dictate who works in a particular part of the city and who doesn't. As far as "bogus answers" from supervisors go, they will continue to be that until those supervisors get information they can share.

I know what will keep officers from working in Gang and Narcotics Units throughout the city: Stupid internal consent decree rules coming down the pike. Not gangsters.

[?...]

Mauricio Cornejo did not have to leave us this way… Being the police that you are YOU ARE ALL HEARTLESS!!! “I will bet my next paycheck that he instigated the entire incident” Bet Your paycheck!!!!Why so many baseball bat swings? A incident i think not...WHAT you did was entirely Unnecessary.
And why so many bruises?
"Oh well, so he died. The officers did nothing wrong. They did their job" Is your job to kill? And beat it him like a sack of sand? Why couldn’t you just arrest him for what he supposable had? JUSTICE will seek its day…But GOD knows what really happen so cover it all up as you will…And Stop Changing your story’s...

[concerned citizen]

Just to make a comparison of what the LAPD has already experienced when they dont follow procedure:
L.A.P.D. Officer Brian Hewitt, a member of L.A.P.D.'s elite anti--gang unit CRASH [Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums] in the Rampart division, brought 18th Street gang member Ismael Jimenez to the Rampart police station for questioning. Hewitt allegedly beat the hand-cuffed Jimenez in the chest and stomach, causing him to vomit blood. After being released, Jimenez went to the hospital, where officials notified the L.A.P.D. of his injuries and complaints. Subsequent internal investigations resulted in the firing of Hewitt and another officer, Ethan Cohan, who, the Department determined, knew about but failed to report the beating. Jimenez, was awarded $231,000 in a civil settlement with the city.
This individual had justice served, luckly he survived. Mauricio Cornejo lost his life, so all we can do now is hope and pray for Justice for his family.

[Line Reserve Guy]

Three of the officers who were smeared and later fired for their supposed involvement in the so called (by the media) "widespread" Rampart Scandal were just awarded a 6 million dollar settlement because it was determined that they were not involved and that the so called widespread corruption was nothing more than the few thugs who became cops and continued their criminal capers while wearing the badge. If the LAPD brass was guilty of anything it was hanging their own out to dry in order to show that they are weeding out the bad apples.

It's funny, isn't it? Why didn't this 6 million dollar settlement which all but nullified the notion that the Rampart Scandal was so widespread recieve much (if any) media attention? The City is still paying an estimated $50 million per year to comply with a Federal Concent Decree as a result of this rush to judgement and subsequent smearing of the LAPD and it was just determined by a federal jury that their was no widespread corruption. Our Mayor appoints a well known and long standing LAPD critic: John Mack to be the President of the Police Commission.

LAPD just can't win.

[Erin Brockovich]

"Chris" seems to always have an answer for Jesse's post comment. Please don't hate us for speaking the truth and to let it be know everywhere why Mauricio Cornejo didn't have to end his life like it did at Hollenbeck Police Station. Speak all you want about not knowing procedures etc save me the BS, Thats why we have internet and family and friends somehow connected to an officer, sheriff, firemen etc. We did our research and know the procedures of what should of happened that night All I have to say is where was the Medical Attention on a lunch break !!!! Making comments on Maurcio about "how his kids are better off without him" How do you know just by judging him as a Parole please I'm pretty sure you have a Parole or a Convicted Felony in your Family somehow connected to you. Everyone has that let it be know that Mauricio was a loving Son, Father,Brother Cousin, Nephew and a Friend you can always count on him to be there for you. You wouldn't know because your life is so perfect with the white picket fence and a dog and wife to greet you when you come home and only saying what you want her to hear from your long day of duty. Please honor your Badge and speak the truth or forever live in a corrupted working force.

[Chris]

What this all come's down to is money. yes when one has lost his or her life what other way to hurt the department than through the value of the almighty dollar. one day the city will go bankrupt from paying out lawsuits, then hopefully it will grap the attention of someone higher up and hopefully they will rid there departments of all the bad apples and give back community's the ability to trust those who are hired to protect and serve. but untill that happens the resident's of the Ramona Gardens Housing Project are prisioners of there own homes, not feeling safe unless there is a video camera in eye's view ready to catch the next beating. how many more lifes will be taken before something is done about this? I don't understand how these men and the men protecting them can sleep at night. Jugement day is only a breath away let's see them try and talk there way out of it when they scream as they live eternally in the lakes of fire in HELL!!!

[Jess]

B&W Ops wrote:
“The "higher-ups" as Jesse put it, are forbidden BY LAW from making any comments until the investigation is completed on the death, and the investigation is completed on the officers' actions. Again, the law prohibits anyone commenting on what happened until ALL THE FACTS are analyzed.”

You say that "higher ups" are prohibited by law to comment on cases, but yet I have media coverage on my DVR that shows Capt. Fiero clearly stating "that the suspect was semi-conscience" as he was be taken into the holding cell. Why would my cousin be semi-conscience if he was being detained? Chief Bratton also made the comment "Mauricio Cornejo died due to health reason". Since when is Chief Bratton a doctor or medical examiner? Are these not comments made by higher-ups about an on-going investigation?

B&W Ops wrote:
“Who said that you need to see a gun before using physical force? Suspects are PROHIBITED BY LAW from resisting arrest. Officers are REQUIRED AND PERMITTED BY LAW to use reasonable force to effect an arrest and overcome resistance. Again, the investigation will resolve those issues.”

You Sir, have foot in mouth disease. Officers are required and permitted by laws to use reasonable force to affect an arrest and overcome resistance. Since when is “semi-conscience” as Capt Fiero put it, followed 10 minutes later by death, reasonable?

B&W Ops Wrote:
“Jesse, what do you know about "procedure"? And what YOU think is justifiable or not is irrelevant. The US Supreme Court ruled a long time ago that the level of force used by an officer must be evaluated based on the information the officer had at the time, and the reasonableness of it is measured by analyzing what another officer with the same information, training and experience, would do in a similar situation. What the suspect's family, the community, the officer's supervisor, and even the chief of police think is irrelevant.
"Procedures were not followed and negligence was evident."
Again, you can't comment on procedures and you're not the authority as to what was negligence, since you don't have the facts and the results of an UNFINISHED investigation.”

The facts are this, my cousin is dead. The last persons that he was in contact with him are members of the L.A.P.D. gang. These corrupt cops used unreasonable force and did not provide reasonable medical care, as required by law, to my cousin. To me, sir, that sounds like negligence. Why, are these cops no longer allowed to patrol the Ramona Gardens Projects?

B&W Wrote:
"Our gang is stronger than the LAPD gang. The LAPD (specifically Hollenbeck) has awakened a community."
It's good of you to make the above statement, so other members of the L.A. community can see that gangsters think they have the moral authority to dictate which officers work in their neighborhoods and which don't. Gangsters don't have a say on the subject and never will.
"Our fight is to get the cops off the force so another family would not have to go through the struggle of getting bogus answers from Captains and Sergeants that do not care for the community and rather "protect and Serve" their own divisions."
Once again, gangsters will not dictate who works in a particular part of the city and who doesn't. As far as "bogus answers" from supervisors go, they will continue to be that until those supervisors get information they can share.
I know what will keep officers from working in Gang and Narcotics Units throughout the city: Stupid internal consent decree rules coming down the pike. Not gangsters.”

Who says that I am a gangster? Who is showing their ignorance now and the fact that they profile people in the community? Again, you need to take the foot out of your mouth. I am purely speaking metaphorically, that Ramona Gardens community has now been united in the front and in this fight to uncover the violation of civil rights of Mauricio Paris Cornejo on February 3, 2007. The price will be that the officers that were abusive and negligent will not only lose their jobs but will also do the time for their crimes.

Just like Line Reserve guy puts it, "LAPD just can't win." What is there to win, they are "to protect and serve". They have caused enough damage, now the victory will be ours. Justice will prevail.

[Jeff]

Jess, I don't know you nor did I know your cousin from Adam but let me ask you a couple of questions as I'm curious to your responses. Out of all of the uses of force by police officers that have resulted in the death of a civilian, would you say that everyone of them were unjustified? I'm going to hope that you have some bit of intelligence and say, "No". My next question is, is there any way possible, and keep in mind that neither you or I were there when this incident occurred, that your cousin acted out in a manner that justified the use of force? If you respond, "there is no way that he would have done anything to cause that" then your comments carry no weight as far as I am concerned because we all know that anything is possible and this is the case 99.99% of the time. Did the use of force by the officers cause his death or was it a result of a medical condition, drug influence/excited delerium, or both? Who knows, right?!

I'm just as guilty as anyone else to spout off an opinion before having all of the facts but in reality everyone, including yourself and family members, should await the outcome of the investigation before formulating and voicing an opinion. If the officers, jail staff, or anyone else other than your cousin acted in a criminal manner or with negligence that was the cause, directly or indirectly of his death then let justice prevail, as it should. But if it was all brought on by your cousin and it is found that all others acted appropriately, within the law, policy, and scope of their duties then that needs to be accepted as well.

Also, just a side note, where is all the outcry from yourself and the public when law enforcement officers are killed by assailants? Just like many have stated in their comments reference your cousin, those officers shouldn't have had to "go out" like that!

[Erin Brockovich]

Sorry for the misunderstanding "Chris" my post comment was towards the Posted by: B&W Op | February 20, 2025 at 09:32 PM