The Case Of Erick Catalan: How Could A Private Investigator Have Helped?

Residents of the Huntington Beach area may have heard about the case of Erick Catalan, a 20-year old man who was killed by officers of the Huntington Beach Police Department during a traffic stop back in 2011. The police claim that Catalan was reaching for a gun; Catalan's mother filed a lawsuit against the police officers, claiming that her son was unarmed and that the police should have waited for backup instead of immediately taking action.

These cases of questionable shootings are becoming more and more common around the country. Besides incidences occurring in Los Angeles and Orange County, there is also the notable case of Trayvon Martin, a central Florida teen who was shot by neighborhood watch Coordinator George Zimmerman. More recently, the shooting of Michael Brown has embroiled the small town of Ferguson, Missouri and created debate on a national scope. How can these cases be prevented, or at the very least, solved more quickly after they occur? A private investigator can often help to shine a light on these kinds of cases.

How A Private Investigator Gets To The Bottom Of Unclear Cases

A Huntington Beach private investigator could have very easily taken on the case of Erick Catalan to get more details about what actually went on during that fateful traffic stop. Private investigators work all around Orange County in areas like Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Irvine. Their services help clients dealing with unclear cases in several ways:

  • Surveillance services in Orange County: while a private investigator may not have been able to conduct surveillance on people like Michael Brown or Erick Catalan, they are often hired to trail suspected criminals or people that may be in danger. An eyewitness account or video evidence from a private investigator could have played a key role in deciding whether or not the police were at fault for either of these shootings
  • Interviewing witnesses: in these controversial shooting cases, much of the public's opinion hinges on what eyewitnesses report back to law enforcement authorities. Unfortunately, many people have problems with the police because of previous negative encounters. A private investigator interviewing a witness can often be much less intimidating than a fully-uniformed police officer that interviews a witness to get answers about the things they witnessed
  • Background checks: one of the points consistently made by sympathizers of Michael Brown is that he had no criminal record. While a background check might not provide conclusive evidence about one particular incident, it can still play a critical role in drawing conclusions about the history of people who are involved in these kinds of incidents

Finding The Right Private Investigator For The Job

Whether you are in search of a Huntington Beach private investigator or you need PI services in another part of southern California, it is vital that you take steps to locate the best possible private investigator that you can find. When you need a private investigator to investigate an uncertain case where the facts are not always known, it is crucial to hire a private investigator who is exceptional at what he does.

A quality private investigator will even be able to work alongside of the police, to ensure their investigation does not cause any legal conflicts with an ongoing law enforcement case. If you need a private investigator in Anaheim, Tustin, Fullerton, or any other place in Orange County, be sure to hire a knowledgeable, experienced investigator to help you get answers and find the justice that you deserve.

Contact Linked Investigations to learn more about how we can be of service. 714-432-9911

Published on: 
November 12, 2014
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