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Morning Briefing: Lawsuit Says LAPD Used 'Excessive Force' At Protests
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Marked by a series of events that unfolded yesterday, the legal system is being deployed on behalf of protesters from the week’s demonstrations against racism and police brutality.
A group of lawyers came together to form the Protesters Defense Alliance, offering their services pro bono to folks who have been arrested while demonstrating, and calling for cases against protesters to be dismissed.
And towards the end of the day Friday, Black Lives Matter filed a lawsuit alleging that LAPD unlawfully detained peaceful protesters, engaged in “excessive force,” improperly confined protesters and kept them in handcuffs for too long.
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The suit names the City of Los Angeles and LAPD Chief Michel Moore, and includes as a plaintiff a homeless man in a wheelchair who was allegedly struck in the face with a rubber bullet by an LAPD officer in the downtown area.
Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today, and stay safe out there.
The Past 24 Hours In LA
L.A. Protests: A group of about 50 lawyers calling themselves the Protesters Defense Alliance is demanding cases against protesters be dismissed, and offering pro bono legal services to arrested protesters.
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Policing The Police: LAPD Chief Michael Moore told AirTalk's Larry Mantle that LAPD won't release bodycam footage in cases where police use force on protesters. A lawsuit alleges that LAPD unlawfully detained more than 2,600 peaceful protesters, and engaged in “excessive force … prolonged handcuffing and improper conditions of confinement.” Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would support ending strangleholds by law enforcement, and called for standardization of how officers use force to respond to protesters, and more.
LAPD Takes A Swipe At The Mayor: The director of the LAPD union called the mayor's mental health into question and criticized his leadership during a time of crisis for the city.
Entertain Yourself: Tim Cogshell and Lael Loewenstein join Larry Mantle to review this weekend’s new movie releases and share some of their recommendations, including Shirley, Spelling The Dream, Dykes, Camera, Action! and more. Gov. Newsom says Hollywood can resume production as soon as June 12, but L.A. County may not necessarily be on board with that timeline.
Coronavirus Fallout: The coronavirus pandemic could put thousands of California children measurably behind in school, perhaps for years. Demand for the state relief fund for workers without legal status has been huge.
Coronavirus In Numbers: There are now 61,074 coronavirus cases and 2,567 deaths in L.A. County, and at least 125,737 cases and 4,529 deaths in California. Worldwide, there are more than 6.7 million cases and over 394,000 deaths.
First Person: LAist Data Editor Dana Amihere struggles to find peace within her personal divisions -- as a black woman, journalist, and wife of a white man -- following the past few months of police brutality and protests.
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