The family of Peter Cukor — who was bludgeoned to death outside his Berkeley home in February — presented a claim Wednesday to the city of Berkeley for wrongful death and for severe emotional distress damages.
According to a press release from R. Lewis Van Blois, a lawyer for the Cukor family, the city has 45 days to respond to the claim, which is a necessary step taken before a lawsuit can be filed.
Berkeley Police Department officers arrested 23-year-old Alameda resident Daniel DeWitt less than a block from Cukor’s house. DeWitt was later charged with murdering Cukor. A judge ruled April 13 that DeWitt should be sent to the Napa State Hospital to be treated for his mental illness.
Immediately after the killing, blame passed between Occupy Oakland protesters who marched to UC Berkeley on the evening of the incident and Berkeley police, who did not respond immediately to Cukor’s original call to the police.
Christopher Yee is an assistant news editor.
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