Overview
- The jury, which decided Wednesday after a day and a half of deliberations, found Kevin Eduardo Cataneo Salazar legally sane at the time he ambush‑shot Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer.
- Jurors had earlier convicted Salazar of first‑degree murder and found true special circumstances that include murder of a peace officer, lying in wait, and firing from a vehicle.
- Prosecutors introduced jailhouse recordings and other evidence they said showed Salazar admitted planning to kill an officer and acted with premeditation, while the defense presented experts who described severe mental illness.
- Authorities arrested Salazar two days after the Sept. 16, 2023 shooting and recovered a .22‑caliber revolver that prosecutors say undercut the defense; under California law the proven special circumstances carry a life term without parole.
- Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s death prompted public memorials and statements from LASD leaders, and the case raises questions about the gap between clinical diagnoses and the narrow legal standard for insanity used in criminal trials.