In addition, the lawsuit claims that deputies arriving on scene failed to ascertain whether Valerie Ely was still alive, and actively obstructed fire department medical personnel from entering the home to provide treatment to her. We will respond to these allegations later and at the appropriate place, the district court., Burris said Cameron Elywas shot a number of times with his hands up. One year after the deaths of Valerie and Cameron Ely, members of the Ely family were joined by their attorneys at their Hope Ranch estate on Thursday calling for the District Attorneys Office to revisit its investigation that cleared the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs deputies involved. Kirsten said the family had an inkling something was amiss when detectives stopped communicating with them only two weeks after the incident. If she had gotten the medical attention she required, she may have survived. Yes, we expect that these officers will be held accountable, he said. 3,485 following. In the District Attorneys report, the deputies claimed that Cameron said he had a gun before he was fatally shot and was a lethal threat to the deputies. You have to have lawful basis to do that, and in this particular matter there was none, Mr. Burris said. Neither authorities nor the family has provided a clear motive for Valeries murder, though a coroners report noted Cameron, a Harvard graduate who reportedly suffered from mental health problems and was living with his parents, had been acting erratically and aggressively in the days prior. Kirsten Ely, the daughter of actor Ron Ely, hugs her sister, Kaitland Ely-Sweet, at a press conference on the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Valerie Lundeen Ely and Cameron Ely. I guess that I'd have more sympathy for them if they would admit that it was their brother that killed their mother. In a blog entry from 2010, Kirsten, 34, wrote about everything she has learned in 25 years, including how she approaches her relationship with her parents. Powered by WordPress VIP. They may very well have thought that he was involved in some other activity involving the mom, but that is not a basis to shoot and kill him. {Featured Entrepreneur} Kirsten Ely of Blonder Ambitions! She graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor's degree in Television-Radio (and an appearance in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four!). We have preliminary work here showing that he was shot in the front and the back, multiple times. It was filed inSeptemberon Ron Elys behalf by his daughter, Kirsten Ely. Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Dance Presents: La Escalada, Dos Pueblos Theatre Company Presents The Music Man!, Cottage Hospitals Annual Mental Health Fair, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage of SB, Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. You're on the list. The Ely sisters said they cant help wonder if their mother could have been saved if the deputies had intervened sooner. The pain our family has felt is so immense that we are constantly living in a nightmare that we cant wake up from, she said. One of the more troubling aspects of this case is the involvement of Deputy Jeremy Rogers, one of the defendants. They claim the deputies lied in their statements to investigators, and they point to multiple audio recordings of the incident that contradict the deputies version of events. Deputies attempted to gain verbal control of the suspect; however, he presented a threat to them. He said the issues of police brutality are an American issue and not just limited to race, and that people need to join together and create change. Kaitland Ely Welcome to the world through my "Sweet Southern California" bright eyes. He welcomes questions or comments at reringer@gmail.com. Its just not possible. Scott Roder, a forensic specialist working with Lacys team, said Dudleys attempt to explain away the missing sound as a technical issue just doesnt make sense. Deputies also claimed that Cameron announced that he had a gun and that he lunged forward. OVER firing too, the police all over our nation are trigger-happy and itching to shoot. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. More recently, he had a role in the 2014 television movie Expecting Amish. Accept Read More, Ely family, attorneys rebuke district attorneys report, Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival ready to wow, Biden kicks off campaign at polling low point, Natural history museum celebrates 23 years with gala, Santa Barbara County officially ends COVID-19 state of, California, Los Angeles County ending coronavirus emergency declarations, FBI confirms COVID-19 likely came from Wuhan lab, Pritzkers latest orders relax some COVID testing, mask, ELECTION 2022: Stoker concedes Assembly race, ELECTION 2022: Clark grateful to supporters after victory, ELECTION 2022: Democrats retain Senate, pushed to 50, ELECTION 2022: Alaskas U.S. Senate seat will likely, Democrats call Justice Thomas an impure jurist, Proposed tax on short-term rentals is a bad. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook. (Brooke Holland / Noozhawk photo), Brooke Holland, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @NoozhawkNews, Santa Barbara County District Attorneys Office, Ron Elyfiled a federal civil rights lawsuit against, DA Rules Fatal Shooting of Actor Ron Elys Son by Deputies Was Justifiable Homicide, Actor Ron Ely Files Federal Lawsuit Against Sheriffs Department in Deaths of Wife, Son, More by Brooke Holland, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @NoozhawkNews, 2101 Mountain Avenue, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101, 1530 Miramar Lane, SANTA BARBARA, CA 93108, Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Whoops! Kirsten Ely's birthday is 07/18/1985 and is 37 years old. It can be quite a gift to be able to stay their little girl it can also be horribly annoying but try to ignore the annoying part., Kirsten also referred to her father as the best dad ever in a series of blog posts titled Advice from Dad.. Santa Barbara Ron Ely starred as the title character of "Tarzan," which ran from 1966 to 1968 on NBC and depicted Tarzan . Did I miss it? In defense of the threat posed by the suspect, several deputies fired their service weapons at the suspect, fatally wounding him.. Valeries most serious stab injury was to one of her lungs, Lacy said. You cant pick up one thing and not something else from a few feet away. The shooting occurred when Cameron and the deputies were standing within 10-12 feet of each other, Lacy said. You're on the list. glamour. During his 16-year career with the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office, Deputy Rogers has been involved in two other fatal shootings. Success! Nothing was done after he was engaged in two arguably unlawful shootings and a tragic collision, he said. The second killing, in 2012. Santa Barbara, California. Suddenly, and without any warning or legal justification, multiple defendant deputies opened fire on decedent Cameron, striking him a total of 22 times with bullets from several department-issued weapons. Processing The Deputies somehow had their story the same on this one fact (when it was differing on other details) that Cameron aggressively and loudly yelled he has a gun. Now theres a way to directly enable these efforts. One year to the day after their brother Cameron Ely the son ofTarzanactor Ron Ely was shot 22 times by Santa Barbara Sheriffs deputies, Kirsten Ely and Kaitland Ely Sweet and their attorneys held a tearful news conference in the driveway of the familys Hope Ranch home to forcefully rebukea new report by the District Attorneys Officethat ruled the shooting a justifiable homicide. Kaitland Ely, Valerie Ely, Kirsten . Sign Up Now Heroffice reviews all officer-involved shootings in the county. Deputy Rogers, during the course of his law enforcement duties, also allegedly caused a fatal car crash. Every day, the staff of theSanta Barbara Independentworks hard to sort out truth from rumor and keep you informed of whats happening across the entire Santa Barbara community. Sheriffs officials collected 14 samples of DNA evidence from the scene but only tested one, he said. If he didnt have a gun and he didnt have a weapon, what was the basis of shooting him?, Burris said deputies may have very well thought he (Cameron) was involved in some other activity involving the mom, but that isnot a basis to shoot and kill him.. Two others suffered spinal and head injuries, and one remains confined to a wheelchair. When they arrived at . Kaitland, 32, had similar sentiments about their mom, writing an appreciative post for Valerie in honor of Mothers Day in 2017. Their silence forced action on our part and, only after filing the suit, we were able to gain access to their autopsies, the Coban audio recordings from each deputys mic, and body cam footage. Confused circumstances. Unlike the plaintiffs attorneys in this case, the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office and the County of Santa Barbara takes seriously our professional obligation to avoid undue pretrial publicity about this matter since it is currently in litigation, he said. She was also a former flight attendant and even won Miss Airlines International, a beauty pageant for flight attendants and other airline employees, in 1980, according to The Miami News. View Kirsten Ely results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Moreover, Lacy said, the few brief moments in the tape between when the deputies first approach Cameron and the explosion of gunfire erupts simply dont allow for that supposed series of events orders given, Cameron complying, Cameron then saying he has a gun, Cameron then not complying, deputies restating their orders to have occurred. Thank you for encouraging me to believe in fairytales YOU are a modern day fairytale:) Thank you for existing. Follow Loading Kirsten. Cameron Ely, 30, was shot and killed by Santa Barbara sheriffs in October 2019; He had stabbed to death his mother Valerie, 62, and was wandering the estate . You're on the list. In her current role, Joelle helps oversee all things TV, and enjoys being able to say she has to watch The Kardashians, America's Got Talent, Love Is Blind and Dancing with the Stars for her "work" responsibilities. We will fight in honor and preserve your legacy of light, love and truth.. She added that Cameron was a source of strength for the family during times of need and expressed sorrow that his life was tragically cut short at the age of 30. Kirsten Ely is listed as an Agent with Kiki E. LLC in California. You cant summarily execute someone because you think they committed a crime, he said. Site design and development byHop StudiosHop Studios, They contend Cameron Ely presented no threat when he was gunned down by deputies, and that he and Valerie Ely were denied timely medical attention. Plaintiffs have raised legitimate questions about Sheriff's response, but we should not overlook the basic fact that someone murdered Valerie, for which the Sheriffs are clearly not responsible. If they brought it up, it would not be helpful to their case. Mr. Roder added that where the casings were scattered will provide strong evidence as to where the deputies were during the shooting, explaining that the groupings should provide a more clear indication. Whoops! Very very sad. advice. Kirsten Ely said her brotherposed no threat when deputies encountered him. The ensuing lawsuit for breach of protocol and reckless behavior was settled for $4.8 million (your money). Thank you for blessing me with endless love and support. Our view is we ought not accept their official position without some corroboration, and there is no corroboration whatsoever, he said. Im here to tell you today that this is an American problem that we all have to join together to do something about, he said. The Ely family has not been in contact with the Sheriffs Office since Oct. 29, 2019 some two weeks after the shooting, Kirsten said. New Allegations Arise in Lawsuit Against Santa Barbara Sheriffs Office, The wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the Ely family against the County of Santa Barbara and the Sheriffs Office is likely headed to trial after a year of closed-door negotiations failed to result in a settlement agreement. The lawsuit also alleges deputies failed to provide timely medical attention to Cameron Ely after he was shot, and noted that he already had suffered stab wounds and an injured leg. By Tyler Hayden of The Independent. Kirsten said the suit is aimed at holding the deputies accountable for their actions and inactions that caused the deaths, with the lawsuit alleging that proper medical care was not provided in a timely manner during the Oct. 15, 2019 incident. They all tell different stories, said Lacy. That is the basis for the lawsuit., Even if the deputies had good reason to believe Cameron had murdered his mother, Burris went on, they werent legally allowed to shoot him if he didnt pose an immediate threat to their lives. . Mr. Lacy said they are also looking to obtain additional audio from one of the involved deputies, and also indicated, as of right now, it is unclear which deputy opened fire first. This happened in 2009 when he allegedly took it upon himself to respond to a situation on Highway 101 over which the California Highway Patrol has jurisdiction. In addition, while the deputies initially stated that none of them ever checked Valeries pulse or attempted to render any medical aid, it was revealed during depositions that one deputy changed his story, claiming to have quickly checked on Valerie before moving on to search the house. Cameron Ely, 30, was suspected of murdering his mother, Valerie Ely, 62, on the night of Oct. 15, 2019. Is there something we should see or hear in the video? design. Processing There was no time for what law enforcement alleges happened to have happened, Lacy said. The biomechanical illustration showed details such as the allegedbullet trajectory. Attorney DeWitt Lacy, a well-known Los Angeles litigator who specializes in police misconduct cases, played the audio recording for members of the media. . The Ely family had condemned the district attorneys report that found the fatal shooting of Cameron a justifiable homicide. Sheriffs Office 2022 Recap Shows Overall Decrease in Crime Across Santa Barbara County, Battle of the Books Brings Together Young Bookworms, Antibiotic Study Finds Superbug-Fighting Drugs Already in Pharmacies, Santa Barbara COVID Cases Remain at Moderate to Low Levels, Santa Barbara Meets Restaurants Halfway with $2 Parklet Rate, Former Santa Barbara County Probation Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Massive Embezzling Scheme, Clowns, A**holes, Woke Poison Solvang Leader Vents Over LGBTQ Issues, Gender Discrimination, Retaliation Alleged Against City of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Vows to Take On Illegal Vacation Rentals, Amid the Cannabis Glut, Growers Are Pulling Out of Santa Barbara County, Mothers Day Brunch at Hilton Santa Barbara. 6279 Scottsbluff Drv, Colorado Springs, CO 80923-3815 is where Kirsten lives. Microphones dont work that way, he said. The lawsuit alleges that dashboard camera video from the deputies patrol car backs their case. The Elys claim the deputies then lied to investigators, and that the District Attorneys Office is now complicit in the alleged cover-up. Attorney DeWitt Lacy, a well-known Los Angeles litigator who specializes in police misconduct cases, played the audio recording for members of the media. | Credit: Daniel Dreifuss, Even if the deputies had good reason to believe Cameron had murdered his mother, Burris went on, they werent legally allowed to shoot him if he didnt pose an immediate threat to their lives. The Elys claim the deputies then lied to investigators, and that the District Attorneys Office is now complicit in the alleged cover-up. Click "Accept" to agree and continue. They point to an audio recording of the incident that directly contradicts the deputies statements and the District Attorneys report, which relied solely on an internal Sheriffs Office investigation. A transcript from Deputy Phillip Farleys Coban recording system, provided by the plaintiffs on Thursday, did not include such a statement. I love you more than you will ever know she wrote. Santa Barbara Centre for Aerial Dance Presents: La Escalada, Dos Pueblos Theatre Company Presents The Music Man!, Cottage Hospitals Annual Mental Health Fair, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage of SB, Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. View profile. A video-recorder contradicted the deputys story about the suspect aiming his car at him. None of the deputies body cameras were turned on at the time. A forensics expert hired by Lacy tested those two samples and found that the blood on the court belonged to Cameron, and that DNA from the blood on the second knife was a mixture of Camerons and an unknown third person, Lacy said. Santa Barbara native, Kirsten Ely started Blonder Ambitions as a Fashion and Lifestyle Blog. In other words, a finding devoid of investigation. My world. Losing two of the greatest loves of our lives in one night shattered us, Kirsten Ely said at apress conferenceon the one-year anniversary of the deaths ofValerie Lundeen Ely and Cameron Ely.