In April 2025, Humberto “Beto” Duran was declared factually innocent of a 1993 murder in East Los Angeles, after being wrongfully incarcerated for the crime for 29 years. This week, attorneys for Duran announced a lawsuit seeking damages against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the County of Los Angeles, and defendants Daniel Batanero, Robert Perry and Ruben Bejarano.
“The federal civil rights action filed with the Central District of California Western Division has been taken to obtain compensatory damages, costs and attorney fees for the fabrication of inculpatory evidence, the suppression of exculpatory evidence, and the wrongful conviction of Duran, resulting in the now 51-year-old being held in custody in violation of his constitutional rights for nearly three decades,” the press release from the Law Offices of Jarrett Adams stated. The lawsuit was filed by Adams, along with attorney Megan Denkers Baca, founder of the California Innocence Advocates.
Duran was sentenced to two life terms for the murder of gang member Albert Gonzalez and the attempted murder of witness Monica Rivera. When Duran was exonerated in April, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office concluded Duran’s counsel “failed to present alibi witnesses and failed to thoroughly investigate and present existing third-party culpability evidence. Prosecutors say Duran’s conviction was based on the inconsistent testimony of a single witness, who has recanted her testimony.
Duran was granted parole in January 2023, his convictions were overturned the following year, and by the end of 2024 the case against his conviction was dismissed. When the petition for factual innocence was granted in April 2025, it allowed Duran to seek state compensation for the years he spent wrongfully imprisoned.
“While in jail, our client lost the opportunities to join the United States Marine Corps, to continue his education, to build a career, and to enjoy life’s activities. He’ll never regain those lost years or heal fully from all the abuse he was subjected to. Mr. Duran deserves just compensation so he can finally have closure to this nightmare that has lasted two plus decades,” Adams said.
The release said Duran experienced numerous injuries and health problems while incarcerated, including a brain tumor, severe hearing loss, asthma, kidney failure, assaults by prisoners and prison staff resulting in traumatic head injuries, and other serious wounds. It also reported that Duran continues to suffer from mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. While imprisoned, he also endured labile mood, Avolition, cognitive decline, and visual and auditory hallucinations.
The statement also cited a history of misconduct within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department dating back to the 1980s, including suppressing exculpatory evidence, pressuring a witness to falsely identify a suspect, beating and arresting a suspect without justification, and fabricating police reports. One case in 1990 involved several sheriff’s deputies who were charged with federal crimes in connection with the theft of more than $1 million during drug raids. Numerous deputies were convicted on corruption charges in that case, and testimony revealed that deputies beat suspects, stole money, and framed people by taking narcotics from evidence storage and planting it in homes and vehicles. It was also revealed that deputies lied in search warrant affidavits and fabricated reports, the release stated.
You can read more about Duran’s case and fight to clear his name at the National Registry of Exonerations.
