Vanessa Marques

In March 2020, the South Pasadena Police released bodycam footage from the incident, where Marquez pleaded to the officers to kill her, as well as pointing the BB gun at officers. The LA County district attorney released their report at the same time.

In February 2019, attorneys representing her mother filed a wrongful death claim against the City of South Pasadena, California. The claim alleges battery, negligence, unlawful entry, false arrest and imprisonment, wrongful death, negligent training, conspiracy, seizure of property, failure to summon prompt medical care and violation of the Bane Act (which forbids acts of violence because of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, etc).

Her death occurred during an incident on August 30, 2018, at her home in South Pasadena, California, where a wellness check by local authorities led to an armed confrontation. Marquez was shot and killed by police after she advanced toward the officers, pointing a firearm at them. The firearm was later determined to be a BB gun. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has ruled that the police officers had acted in "lawful self-defense" in the shooting.

Marquez appeared in an early episode of the A&E series Intervention, as she tried to manage her shopping addiction and was given an “intervention” by friends to ask her to go to treatment (she later said that her treatment was not successful). She had serious mental health issues, including bipolar disorder and agoraphobia, that ended her career as an actress and left her almost entirely homebound. Prior to her death, Marquez made headlines related to the #MeToo movement, alleging that she endured harassment while on the set of ER. In October 2017, she accused series star George Clooney of helping to "blacklist" her after she complained to executives about the harassment. Clooney denied the allegations.

Marquez appeared in a 1992 episode of Seinfeld called "The Cheever Letters", portraying a secretary in the Cuban Permanent Mission (the US and Cuba did not have mutual embassies from 1961 to 2015). Her success with Stand and Deliver led to a full-fledged career in film and television, with roles in the gangster epic Blood In Blood Out (1993) and the independent film Twenty Bucks (1993). Her television work included guest spots on popular programs, including Melrose Place (1992) and a recurring role on Malcolm & Eddie (1996). In addition to her acting credentials, Marquez appeared as a singer in the 2000 film Under Suspicion.

Vanessa Marquez (December 21, 1968 – August 30, 2018) was an American actress. She was primarily known for her recurring role in the first three seasons of ER as nurse Wendy Goldman, as well as her role as Ana Delgado in the 1988 teacher drama Stand and Deliver.