Porter v. Brotan et al

On August 26, 2025, in Los Angeles, California, David Porter was fatally shot during a confrontation with Mark Brotan and James Keller over a longstanding business dispute. Porter’s widow, Susan Porter, initiated a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Brotan and Keller, alleging intentional battery and negligence leading to her husband’s death. The criminal case, prosecuted by Michael Reeves, ran parallel to the civil proceedings. The trial featured conflicting testimony regarding self-defense claims and the defendants’ level of involvement. In early 2026, the civil jury found Mark Brotan liable, while Keller was cleared of direct responsibility. The verdict underscored the legal distinction between criminal acquittal and civil liability, awarding substantial damages to the plaintiff.

In the civil suit, Mark Brotan was found liable for wrongful death and ordered to pay $10 million in compensatory damages; James Keller was not held liable. The parallel criminal trial resulted in a conviction for voluntary manslaughter.

Whether Mark Brotan acted in self-defense or committed an intentional, unprovoked killing; the extent to which co-defendant James Keller could be held civilly liable for aiding or failing to prevent the fatal encounter.

The case intensified public debate over California’s self-defense statutes and firearm regulations, while highlighting the role of civil litigation in providing financial remedy and a sense of justice to victims’ families when criminal penalties alone are perceived as insufficient.