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Former Undersheriff Murakami Admits To Having An Alleged Deputy Tattoo
The L.A. County Sheriff's Department logo.
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Topline:
Former Los Angeles County Undersheriff Tim Murakami admitted before the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission on Thursday that he once had a tattoo of a caveman. The Cavemen are an alleged deputy gang within the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Station.
Why it matters: Murakami resisted subpoenas from the panel for over two years. During his testimony, he said the tattoo had been removed.
A shaky memory: The retired undersheriff testified to knowing of at least six dozen tattooed groups: the Cavemen, the Indians, the Banditos, the Little Red Devils, the Grim Reapers and the Jump Out Boys. But, he said he did not recall any names of tattooed deputies nor did he refer to them as deputy gangs.
When asked if former Sheriff Alex Villanueva knew about his caveman tattoo, Murakami said, "I believe he did."
Murakami's defense: He told the commission the tattoos represented "station pride" and had no "nefarious connotation." He added that if people have a tattoo, he recommends that they remove it.
"The intent of the deputies involved is not anything bad, but the way it's being perceived now, it is detrimental.”
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Villanueva's response: During a nearly hour-long Instagram Live session Thursday night, the former sheriff suggested that the testimony had drawn attention on social media but amounted to “nothing.”
“The charade continues with that, with the fake deputy gangs, which they can’t seem to find but they’re so certain they exist,” Villanueva said.
LAist reporter Robert Garrova contributed to this report.
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