Hope Renewed that Dorner Reward May be Dispersed

County, city and private donors announced a procedure Friday for determining who, if anyone, should receive all or part of a roughly $1 million reward that was offered during the hunt for former LAPD Officer Christopher Dorner, who was found dead after a Big Bear shootout.

Because Dorner -- who was suspected in the killings of four people, including a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy and Redlands resident Jeremiah McKay -- died and was not captured and convicted, some questions arose as to whether the reward should be paid out.

Riverside city officials have already announced that they were rescinding their contribution to the reward.

Under the procedures announced Friday, people who believe they are entitled to the reward money have until April 19 to file a claim with the Los Angeles Police Department. Donors to the reward fund, meanwhile, have agreed to place the money in a trust account.

Once all the claims are received, they will be reviewed by a panel made up of representatives of the Corona, Irvine, Los Angeles and Riverside police departments, the Riverside and San Bernardino county sheriff's departments and the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service.

After the claims are reviewed, the panel will submit the information to a panel of three judges to make a final recommendation.

According to documents released by the LAPD, the fact that Dorner died and was not captured and convicted is "irrelevant." The department also noted that some contributors to the reward fund, notably Riverside and Los Angeles counties and the city of Los Angeles, have their own procedures for issuing rewards, but participants in the reward-review effort will request that those agencies follow the recommendations of the three-judge panel.

At least three people have already submitted claims to the city for reward money -- a couple who were tied up by Dorner inside their Big Bear cabin, and a pickup driver whose vehicle was carjacked by Dorner shortly before the shootout that ended with the ex-officer killing himself inside a burning cabin in the midst of a fierce gun battle.

"Because there was a resolution in this incident and public safety was restored in the region, my hope is that the reward will be paid to any deserving individuals," Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine said. "I look forward to hearing the decision from the investigative agencies and judges in this matter."

Claims must be submitted to Lt. Natalie Cortez of LAPD's Detective Bureau, at 100 W. First St. She can be reached at (213) 486-7000, or by email at 30640@lapd.lacity.org.

More information and claim forms are available at www.LAPDonline.org.