Family Settles Suit Over Death of O.C. Deputy

The family of a sheriff’s deputy who was shot in the face and killed by his partner in 1993 has agreed to accept $900,000 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit against Orange County, lawyers in the case said Friday.

Deputy Darryn Leroy Robins was 30 when he was killed during a Christmas Day training exercise in which he was showing fellow Deputy Brian Scanlan how to guard against gang members who hide handguns in their cars, sheriff’s reports said.

Neither Robins’ attorneys nor Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates would comment on the settlement agreement, which was confirmed by county officials. Rosemary Robins, the slain deputy’s widow, could not be reached for comment.

The incident stirred racial tensions at the time because Robins was black and Scanlan is white. The Sheriff’s Department drew heavy criticism for allowing what some described as careless training stunts using loaded weapons.

According to officials, the two deputies were enacting a scenario in which Robins posed as a gang member behind the wheel of a car, and Scanlan, playing the role of an officer, asked for his vehicle registration. Robins reached above the sun visor and, instead of paperwork, produced a handgun, which he thrust out the window at Scanlan, officials said.

But the demonstration startled Scanlan, who was holding a loaded weapon at the time and accidentally fired it, sheriff’s reports said.

Scanlan left the department on a disability claim after the incident and later retired.