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LOS ANGELES DA LETS COPS OFF IN ABUSE OF PROTESTORS
LA Times - The Los Angeles County district attorney's office announced it would not file criminal charges against any LAPD officers for their actions during the 2007 May Day melee at MacArthur Park. Prosecutors said in a statement that after a lengthy review, there was insufficient evidence to prove any officer violated the law when using force, although some might have used "questionable tactics."
They described the incident as "unfortunate and preventable" but said that the office was "closing our file and will take no further action in this matter."
Last year, Police Chief William J. Bratton said he planned to discipline 11 officers and called for the termination of four others for their roles in the melee in which police were accused of using excessive force to clear immigration rights demonstrators and journalists.
LAPD officers were videotaped wielding batons and shooting rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse a largely peaceful crowd. A scathing internal investigation into the incident blamed poor leadership and overly aggressive tactics by officers in the field.
Earlier this year, the Los Angeles City Council agreed to pay nearly $13 million to people injured or mistreated in the melee.
They described the incident as "unfortunate and preventable" but said that the office was "closing our file and will take no further action in this matter."
Last year, Police Chief William J. Bratton said he planned to discipline 11 officers and called for the termination of four others for their roles in the melee in which police were accused of using excessive force to clear immigration rights demonstrators and journalists.
LAPD officers were videotaped wielding batons and shooting rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse a largely peaceful crowd. A scathing internal investigation into the incident blamed poor leadership and overly aggressive tactics by officers in the field.
Earlier this year, the Los Angeles City Council agreed to pay nearly $13 million to people injured or mistreated in the melee.
1 Comments:
When the government refuses to discipline out-of-control police beating up demonstrators, there's only one solution: sue. There have been some famous examples in DC where the city ended up paying serious damages to people who were doing nothing more than exercising their constitutional rights. Some of these suits against the policy can include permanent limitations, as enforced by the court, on police behavior.
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