Rampart Scandal
Encyclopedia
The Rampart scandal refers to widespread corruption in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
(or CRASH) anti-gang
unit of the Los Angeles Police Department
(LAPD) Rampart Division
in the late 1990s. More than 70 police officer
s in the CRASH unit were implicated in misconduct, making it one of the most widespread cases of documented police misconduct
in United States history. The convicted offenses include unprovoked shootings, unprovoked beatings, planting of evidence
, framing of suspects
, stealing
and dealing narcotics, bank robbery
, perjury
, and covering up evidence
of these activities.
The Rampart Scandal is notable in popular culture because at least three Rampart police were found to be on the payroll of hip-hop mogul Marion "Suge" Knight
of Death Row Records
, a convicted felon with known ties to the Bloods
gang. Moreover, LAPD investigators alleged Rampart CRASH officers Nino Durden
, Rafael Pérez
and David Mack
were involved in the 1997 drive-by
murder of recording artist Notorious B.I.G..
As of May 2001, the Rampart investigation, based mainly on statements of the admitted corrupt cop (Pérez), implicated over 70 officers of wrongdoing. Of those officers, only enough evidence was found to bring 58 before an internal administrative board. Of the 70 officers named by Pérez, only 24 were actually found to have committed any wrongdoing, with 12 given suspensions of various lengths, 7 resigned, and 5 fired. As a result of the probe into falsified evidence and police perjury, 106 prior criminal convictions were overturned. The Rampart Scandal resulted in more than 140 civil lawsuits against the city of Los Angeles
, costing the city an estimated $125 million in settlements.
Possibly as a result of the scandal, Police Chief Bernard Parks was not rehired by Mayor James K. Hahn in 2001, and is believed to have precipitated Mayor Hahn's defeat by Antonio Villaraigosa
in the 2005 election
.
the full extent of Rampart corruption is not known, with several rape, murder and robbery investigations involving Rampart police remaining unsolved.
officer Frank Lyga shot and killed Rampart CRASH
officer Kevin Gaines
in self-defense
following a case of apparent road rage
. According to Lyga's and other witness's testimony, Gaines pulled his green Mitsubishi Montero up to Lyga's Buick
. A confrontation ensued, with Gaines flashing gang signs at Officer Lyga. Gaines followed Lyga, brandishing a .45 ACP
handgun
. Lyga took out his gun and called for backup using a hidden radio activated by a foot pedal. Lyga's voice can be heard on police recordings, "Hey, I got a problem. I've got a black guy in a green Jeep coming up here! He's got a gun!"
Pulling up at a stop light, Lyga later testified that he heard Gaines shout, "I'll cap you." Lyga fired his 9mm Beretta 92
into the SUV, lodging one bullet in Gaines' heart. Lyga radioed one final transmission: "I just shot this guy! I need help! Get up here!"
The killing of a black
officer by a white
officer created a highly publicized LAPD controversy and prompted allegations that Lyga's shooting was racially motivated
. Lyga reported that Gaines was the first to pull a gun, and that he responded in self-defense. Lyga told Frontline, "In my training experience this guy had 'I'm a gang member' written all over him."
In the ensuing investigation, the LAPD discovered that Gaines had apparently been involved in similar road rage incidents, threatening drivers by brandishing his gun. The investigation also revealed that Gaines was associated with rap recording label Death Row Records
and its controversial owner, Suge Knight
. Investigators learned that Death Row Records, associated with the Bloods
, was hiring off-duty police officers to serve as security guard
s.
Lyga served desk duty for one year while the LAPD reviewed the details of the shooting. Following three separate internal investigations, Lyga was exonerated of any wrong doing. The LAPD concluded that Lyga's shooting was "in policy" and not racially or improperly motivated.
Within three days of the incident, the Gaines family had retained attorney Johnnie Cochran
and filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles for $25 million. The city eventually settled with Cochran for $250,000. Lyga was angry the city settled, denying him the chance to fully clear his name. Judge Schoettler wrote a letter to Chief Bernard Parks stating "Had the matter been submitted to me for a determination, I would have found in favor of the City of Los Angeles." Schoettler's letter alleged political reasons for settling the case, namely, City Attorney James Hahn
was preparing to run for mayor and black voters were his primary demographic.
. After one month of investigation, assistant bank manager Errolyn Romero confessed to her role in the crime and implicated her boyfriend, LAPD officer David Mack
, as the mastermind. Mack was sentenced to 14 years and three months in federal prison
. He has never revealed the whereabouts of the money, bragging to fellow inmates that he will be a millionaire
by the time he is released.
, into the Rampart police station for questioning. According to Officer Pérez's recorded testimony, Hewitt "got off" on beating suspects. In the course of questioning, Hewitt beat the handcuffed Jimenez in the chest and stomach until he vomited blood. After his release, Jimenez went to the emergency room, and told doctors he had been beaten by Hewitt and his partner Daniel Lujan while in police custody. Following an investigation, Hewitt was eventually fired from the LAPD. Jimenez was awarded $231,000 in a civil settlement with the city of Los Angeles. Jimenez served time in federal prison
for the distribution of drugs and conspiracy to commit murder but has since been released.
were missing from an evidence room. Within a week, detectives focused their investigation on LAPD Rampart CRASH officer Rafael Pérez. Concerned with a CRASH unit that had officers working off-duty for Death Row Records
, robbing banks, and stealing cocaine
, Chief Bernard Parks established an internal investigative task force in May 1998.
The task force, later named the Rampart Corruption Task Force, focused on the prosecution of Rafael Pérez. Completing an audit of the LAPD property room revealed another pound of missing cocaine. The cocaine had been booked following a prior arrest by Detective Frank Lyga, the officer who shot and killed Rampart officer Kevin Gaines. Investigators speculated Rafael Pérez may have stolen the cocaine booked by Lyga in retaliation for Gaines' shooting.
.
On September 8, 1999, following a mistrial, Pérez agreed to cut a deal
with investigators. He pled guilty to cocaine theft in exchange for providing prosecutors with information about two "bad" shootings and three other Rampart CRASH officers engaged in illegal activity. For this deal, Pérez received a five-year prison sentence as well as immunity from further prosecution of misconduct short of murder. Over the next nine months, Pérez met with investigators more than 50 times and provided more than 4,000 pages in sworn testimony. Pérez's testimony implicated about 70 officers in misconduct.
member Miguel "Lizard" Malfavon. This whole incident happened at a McDonalds on Alvarado street, where four supposed members all planned to kill him while he tried to collect "taxes" from the gang. Pérez found a material witness who had blood on her dress and she named four gang members all from Temple Street. He repeatedly changed the main killer and ended up framing Anthony "Stymie" Adams as the one who fatally shot Malfavon in the head with a rifle in the neighboring apartment.
CRASH officers would get together at a bar
near Dodger Stadium
in Echo Park
to drink and celebrate shootings. Supervisors handed out plaques to shooters, containing red or black playing cards. A red card indicated a wounding and a black card indicated a killing, which was considered more prestigious. Pérez testifies that at least one Rampart lieutenant attended these celebrations.
Rampart officers wore tattoo
s of the CRASH logo, a skull with a cowboy hat
encircled with poker cards depicting the "dead man's hand
", aces and eights.
, owner of Death Row Records
, had several of the corrupt Rampart officers on his payroll, including Kevin Gaines, Nino Durden, Rafael Pérez, and David Mack. Knight was hiring off-duty Rampart police to work for Death Row as security guards for substantial amounts of money. For instance, after Gaines' shooting, investigators discovered Gaines drove a Mercedes
, wore designer suits, and found a receipt in his apartment for a $952 restaurant tab at the Los Angeles hangout, Monty's Steakhouse.
, has known ties to the Piru
Bloods
, a criminal street gang.
Following the arrest of Rafael Pérez, investigators discovered photos in his apartment depicting him dressed in red and flashing Blood gang signs.
While in prison, David Mack
has openly joined the Bloods, renouncing his affiliation with the LAPD and wearing as much red clothing as can be obtained in prison.
According to Frank Lyga who shot him, Kevin Gaines was flashing gang signs and waving a gun.
, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, which also named Rampart officers Durden, Pérez and Mack defendants. The lawsuit alleges that Pérez, Durden, and Mack conspired to murder Christopher Wallace. The lawsuit alleged that Pérez and Mack were present the night of the murder outside the Petersen Automotive Museum
on Wilshire Boulevard
on March 9, 1997. In 2010, the Wallace family voluntarily dismissed this lawsuit and the claims against the City and the Rampart officers.
LAPD investigators Brian Tyndall and Russell Poole
also believe Mack and other Rampart police were involved in a conspiracy to kill Wallace. Poole claims that LAPD Chief Bernard Parks refused to investigate their claims of Mack's involvement, suppressing their 40 page report, and instructing investigators not to pursue their inquiry. Detective Poole, an 18 year veteran of the force, quit the LAPD in protest and filed a lawsuit against the LAPD for violating his First Amendment
rights in preventing him from going to the public with his information.
faced more than 140 civil suits resulting from the Rampart scandal, with total estimated settlement costs around $125 million.
Javier Ovando
was awarded a $15 million settlement on November 21, 2000, the largest police misconduct settlement in Los Angeles
history. Twenty-nine other civil suits were settled for nearly $11 million.
On September 26, 2000, Detective Poole, an 18 year veteran of the force, filed a federal civil rights
lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and Chief Parks. Poole, lead investigator on the Lyga-Gaines shooting and member of the Rampart Corruption Task Force, resigned from the Department and claimed in his civil suit that Chief Parks shut down his efforts to fully investigate the extent of corruption within the Department. Poole specifies conversations and direct orders in which Chief Parks prevented him from pursuing his investigation into the criminal activities of David Mack and Kevin Gaines, notably involving the investigation of the murder of Christopher Wallace.
Many city officials, including Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, expressed a lack of confidence with Chief Parks' handling of the investigation. On September 19, 2000, the Los Angeles City Council
voted 10 to 2 to accept a consent decree allowing the U.S. Department of Justice
to oversee and monitor reforms within the LAPD for a period of five years. The Justice Department, which had been investigating the LAPD since 1996, agreed not to pursue a civil rights lawsuit against the city. Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan
and Police Chief Bernard Parks opposed the consent decree, but were forced to back down in the face of overwhelming support by the city council.
The "L.A.P.D. Board of Inquiry into the Rampart Area Corruption Incident" was released in March 2000. The report made 108 recommendations for changes in LAPD policies and procedures. The Board of Inquiry report, sanctioned by Bernard Parks, was widely criticized for not addressing structural problems within the LAPD.
"An Independent Analysis of the Los Angeles Police Department's Board of Inquiry Report on the Rampart Scandal" was published in September 2000, by University of California, Irvine School of Law Dean, Erwin Chemerinsky
at the request of the Police Protective League. Chemerinsky outlined six specific criticisms of the Board of Inquiry report, namely that the LAPD minimized the scope and nature of the corruption; and abetted the corruption through its own internal negligence or corrupt policies. Chemerinsky called for an independent commission to investigate corruption; and a consent decree between the City of Los Angeles and the Justice Department to monitor effective reform.
The "Report of the Rampart Independent Review Panel", published in November 2000, was created by a panel of over 190 community members. Its report issued 72 findings and 86 recommendations. The report noted the Police Commission had been "undermined by the Mayor's Office" and that the Inspector General's Office had been "hindered by ... lack of cooperation by the (LAPD) in responding to requests for information."
's black community, leading to his defeat by Antonio Villaraigosa
in the 2005 election
.
The ensuing elimination of the Rampart CRASH division following the scandal is believed to have enabled the Mara Salvatrucha
(MS-13) gang to grow its already substantial power among the Rampart district's Salvadoran
population. The rival 18th Street Gang
continues to thrive in Rampart as well, with as many as 20,000 members in Los Angeles county.
In 2002, the television series The Shield
premiered, depicting a band of rogue Los Angeles police officers. The program was so directly inspired by the Rampart Scandal that "Rampart" was nearly used as the series title. The title was presumably changed in order to avoid potential production issues and conflicts with the LAPD.
In 2003, the Blue Ribbon Rampart Review Panel, chaired by Constance L. Rice
of the Advancement Project
, was convened by the Los Angeles Police Commission and Chief William J. Bratton
. The panel's report was made public in 2006.
The action thriller movie Cellular
featured a plot involving corrupt LAPD cops. Though it was not a serious crime drama, it used the Rampart Scandal to lend some credibility to the plot, showing a documentary segment of the Rampart Scandal in the bonus features of the movie DVD.
The plot of Rockstar Games
' controversial game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, set in 1992, involves three corrupt CRASH officers. The CRASH motto, "intimidate those who intimidate others," is earlier spoken directly by one of these characters.
In 2010, the crime drama movie Faster
featured a police officer played by Billy Bob Thornton
who is revealed to be a corrupt former Rampart CRASH officer.
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums, usually known by the acronym C.R.A.S.H., was an elite, but controversial special operations unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. It was established by then-chief Daryl Gates to combat the rising problem of gangs in Los Angeles, California...
(or CRASH) anti-gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
unit of the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
(LAPD) Rampart Division
LAPD Rampart Division
The Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department serves communities to the west and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles including Echo Park, Pico-Union and Westlake, all together designated as the Rampart patrol area. Its name is derived from Rampart Boulevard, one of the principal...
in the late 1990s. More than 70 police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s in the CRASH unit were implicated in misconduct, making it one of the most widespread cases of documented police misconduct
Police misconduct
Police misconduct refers to inappropriate actions taken by police officers in connection with their official duties. Police misconduct can lead to a miscarriage of justice and sometimes involves discrimination...
in United States history. The convicted offenses include unprovoked shootings, unprovoked beatings, planting of evidence
Falsified evidence
False evidence, forged evidence or tainted evidence is information created or obtained illegally, to sway the verdict in a court case. Also, misleading by suppressing evidence can be used to sway a verdict; however, in some cases, suppressed evidence is excluded because it was found hidden or...
, framing of suspects
Frameup
A frame-up or setup is an American term referring to the act of framing someone, that is, providing false evidence or false testimony in order to falsely prove someone guilty of a crime....
, stealing
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
and dealing narcotics, bank robbery
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
, perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
, and covering up evidence
Cover-up
A cover-up is an attempt, whether successful or not, to conceal evidence of wrong-doing, error, incompetence or other embarrassing information...
of these activities.
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
of Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
, a convicted felon with known ties to the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
gang. Moreover, LAPD investigators alleged Rampart CRASH officers Nino Durden
Nino Durden
Gino Floyd "Nino" Durden , was a police officer in the elite Los Angeles Police Department Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums unit implicated in the LAPD Rampart scandal. Durden, along with Officer Rafael Pérez, was involved in the shooting and framing of gang member Javier Ovando...
, Rafael Pérez
Rafael Pérez (police officer)
Rafael Antonio "Ray" Pérez , is a former Los Angeles Police Department C.R.A.S.H officer and the central figure in the LAPD Rampart Scandal. He was involved in the coverup of a $722,000 bank robbery, shot and framed Javier Ovando, and stole and resold at least $800,000 of cocaine from LAPD...
and David Mack
David Mack (police officer)
David Anthony Mack , is a former LAPD Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer. He is one of the central figures in the LAPD Rampart police corruption scandal. Mack was arrested for masterminding the November 6, 1997, robbery of $722,000 from a South Central Los...
were involved in the 1997 drive-by
Drive-by shooting
A drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...
murder of recording artist Notorious B.I.G..
As of May 2001, the Rampart investigation, based mainly on statements of the admitted corrupt cop (Pérez), implicated over 70 officers of wrongdoing. Of those officers, only enough evidence was found to bring 58 before an internal administrative board. Of the 70 officers named by Pérez, only 24 were actually found to have committed any wrongdoing, with 12 given suspensions of various lengths, 7 resigned, and 5 fired. As a result of the probe into falsified evidence and police perjury, 106 prior criminal convictions were overturned. The Rampart Scandal resulted in more than 140 civil lawsuits against the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, costing the city an estimated $125 million in settlements.
Possibly as a result of the scandal, Police Chief Bernard Parks was not rehired by Mayor James K. Hahn in 2001, and is believed to have precipitated Mayor Hahn's defeat by Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
in the 2005 election
Los Angeles mayoral election, 2005
The 2005 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on March 8, 2005, with a runoff election on May 17. Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa defeated the sitting mayor, James Hahn, becoming the city’s first Hispanic mayor since the 19th century...
.
the full extent of Rampart corruption is not known, with several rape, murder and robbery investigations involving Rampart police remaining unsolved.
March 18, 1997 – Officer Kevin Gaines road rage shootout
Around 4:00 pm on March 18, 1997, undercover LAPDLos Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
officer Frank Lyga shot and killed Rampart CRASH
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums, usually known by the acronym C.R.A.S.H., was an elite, but controversial special operations unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. It was established by then-chief Daryl Gates to combat the rising problem of gangs in Los Angeles, California...
officer Kevin Gaines
Kevin Gaines (police officer)
Kevin Lee Gaines was an officer assigned to the infamous Los Angeles Police Department Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums unit implicated in the Rampart Scandal....
in self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
following a case of apparent road rage
Road rage
Road rage is an aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Such behavior might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions...
. According to Lyga's and other witness's testimony, Gaines pulled his green Mitsubishi Montero up to Lyga's Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
. A confrontation ensued, with Gaines flashing gang signs at Officer Lyga. Gaines followed Lyga, brandishing a .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
. Lyga took out his gun and called for backup using a hidden radio activated by a foot pedal. Lyga's voice can be heard on police recordings, "Hey, I got a problem. I've got a black guy in a green Jeep coming up here! He's got a gun!"
Pulling up at a stop light, Lyga later testified that he heard Gaines shout, "I'll cap you." Lyga fired his 9mm Beretta 92
Beretta 92
The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
into the SUV, lodging one bullet in Gaines' heart. Lyga radioed one final transmission: "I just shot this guy! I need help! Get up here!"
The killing of a black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
officer by a white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
officer created a highly publicized LAPD controversy and prompted allegations that Lyga's shooting was racially motivated
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
. Lyga reported that Gaines was the first to pull a gun, and that he responded in self-defense. Lyga told Frontline, "In my training experience this guy had 'I'm a gang member' written all over him."
In the ensuing investigation, the LAPD discovered that Gaines had apparently been involved in similar road rage incidents, threatening drivers by brandishing his gun. The investigation also revealed that Gaines was associated with rap recording label Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
and its controversial owner, Suge Knight
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
. Investigators learned that Death Row Records, associated with the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, was hiring off-duty police officers to serve as security guard
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
s.
Lyga served desk duty for one year while the LAPD reviewed the details of the shooting. Following three separate internal investigations, Lyga was exonerated of any wrong doing. The LAPD concluded that Lyga's shooting was "in policy" and not racially or improperly motivated.
Within three days of the incident, the Gaines family had retained attorney Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. was an American lawyer best known for his leadership role in the defense and criminal acquittal of O. J...
and filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles for $25 million. The city eventually settled with Cochran for $250,000. Lyga was angry the city settled, denying him the chance to fully clear his name. Judge Schoettler wrote a letter to Chief Bernard Parks stating "Had the matter been submitted to me for a determination, I would have found in favor of the City of Los Angeles." Schoettler's letter alleged political reasons for settling the case, namely, City Attorney James Hahn
James Hahn
James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn is an American politician. Hahn was elected the 40th Mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He served until 2005, at which time he was defeated in his bid for re-election...
was preparing to run for mayor and black voters were his primary demographic.
November 6, 1997 – Officer David Mack bank robbery
On November 6, 1997, $722,000 was stolen in an armed robbery of a Los Angeles branch of Bank of AmericaBank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
. After one month of investigation, assistant bank manager Errolyn Romero confessed to her role in the crime and implicated her boyfriend, LAPD officer David Mack
David Mack (police officer)
David Anthony Mack , is a former LAPD Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer. He is one of the central figures in the LAPD Rampart police corruption scandal. Mack was arrested for masterminding the November 6, 1997, robbery of $722,000 from a South Central Los...
, as the mastermind. Mack was sentenced to 14 years and three months in federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
. He has never revealed the whereabouts of the money, bragging to fellow inmates that he will be a millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
by the time he is released.
February 26, 1998 – Rampart Station beating
Rampart CRASH officer Brian Hewitt brought Ismael Jimenez, a member of the 18th Street Gang18th Street gang
18th Street gang is considered to be the largest transnational criminal gang in Los Angeles, California. It is estimated that there are thousands of members in Los Angeles County alone...
, into the Rampart police station for questioning. According to Officer Pérez's recorded testimony, Hewitt "got off" on beating suspects. In the course of questioning, Hewitt beat the handcuffed Jimenez in the chest and stomach until he vomited blood. After his release, Jimenez went to the emergency room, and told doctors he had been beaten by Hewitt and his partner Daniel Lujan while in police custody. Following an investigation, Hewitt was eventually fired from the LAPD. Jimenez was awarded $231,000 in a civil settlement with the city of Los Angeles. Jimenez served time in federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
for the distribution of drugs and conspiracy to commit murder but has since been released.
May, 1998 – Investigative task force created
On March 27, 1998, LAPD officials discovered that six pounds of cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
were missing from an evidence room. Within a week, detectives focused their investigation on LAPD Rampart CRASH officer Rafael Pérez. Concerned with a CRASH unit that had officers working off-duty for Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
, robbing banks, and stealing cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, Chief Bernard Parks established an internal investigative task force in May 1998.
The task force, later named the Rampart Corruption Task Force, focused on the prosecution of Rafael Pérez. Completing an audit of the LAPD property room revealed another pound of missing cocaine. The cocaine had been booked following a prior arrest by Detective Frank Lyga, the officer who shot and killed Rampart officer Kevin Gaines. Investigators speculated Rafael Pérez may have stolen the cocaine booked by Lyga in retaliation for Gaines' shooting.
August 25, 1998 – Pérez arrested
Officer Rafael Pérez, at age 31 and a nine-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, was arrested on August 25, 1998, for stealing six pounds of cocaine from a department property room. The cocaine was estimated to be worth $800,000 on the street. As he was arrested, Pérez reportedly asked, "Is this about the bank robbery?" Pérez would later deny that he had any knowledge of David Mack's bank robbery, and never testified against Mack. Investigators would eventually discover eleven additional instances of suspicious cocaine transfers. Pérez eventually admitted to ordering cocaine evidence out of property and replacing it with BisquickBisquick
Bisquick is a pre-mixed baking product sold by General Mills under their Betty Crocker brand, consisting of flour, shortening, salt, and baking powder ....
.
On September 8, 1999, following a mistrial, Pérez agreed to cut a deal
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
with investigators. He pled guilty to cocaine theft in exchange for providing prosecutors with information about two "bad" shootings and three other Rampart CRASH officers engaged in illegal activity. For this deal, Pérez received a five-year prison sentence as well as immunity from further prosecution of misconduct short of murder. Over the next nine months, Pérez met with investigators more than 50 times and provided more than 4,000 pages in sworn testimony. Pérez's testimony implicated about 70 officers in misconduct.
Framing
Pérez framed four members of the Temple Street gang as being associated with killing Mexican MafiaMexican Mafia
The Mexican Mafia , also known as La Eme , 13 is a Mexican American criminal organization, and is one of the oldest and most powerful prison gangs in the United States.-Foundation:...
member Miguel "Lizard" Malfavon. This whole incident happened at a McDonalds on Alvarado street, where four supposed members all planned to kill him while he tried to collect "taxes" from the gang. Pérez found a material witness who had blood on her dress and she named four gang members all from Temple Street. He repeatedly changed the main killer and ended up framing Anthony "Stymie" Adams as the one who fatally shot Malfavon in the head with a rifle in the neighboring apartment.
CRASH culture
In extensive testimony to investigators, Pérez provided a detailed portrait of the culture of the elite CRASH unit. Pérez insisted that 90% of CRASH officers were "in the loop", knowingly framing innocent suspects and perjuring themselves on the witness stand. Pérez claims his superiors were aware of and encouraged CRASH officers to engage in misconduct; the goal of the unit was to arrest gang members by any means necessary. Pérez described how CRASH officers were awarded plaques for shooting suspects, with extra honors if suspects were killed. Pérez alleges that CRASH officers carried spare guns in their "war bags" to plant on suspects. In recorded testimony, Pérez revealed the CRASH motto: "We intimidate those who intimidate others."CRASH officers would get together at a bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
near Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
in Echo Park
Echo Park, Los Angeles, California
Echo Park is a hilly neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, northwest of Downtown Los Angeles and southeast of Hollywood.-History:At the end of the 19th century, when the hills were still covered with native vegetation, a horse-drawn streetcar line served the dirt road that is now Echo Park Avenue...
to drink and celebrate shootings. Supervisors handed out plaques to shooters, containing red or black playing cards. A red card indicated a wounding and a black card indicated a killing, which was considered more prestigious. Pérez testifies that at least one Rampart lieutenant attended these celebrations.
Rampart officers wore tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
s of the CRASH logo, a skull with a cowboy hat
Cowboy hat
The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United States, western Canada and northern Mexico, with...
encircled with poker cards depicting the "dead man's hand
Dead man's hand
The dead man's hand is a two-pair poker hand, namely "aces and eights". This card combination gets its name from a legend that it was the five-card-draw hand held by Wild Bill Hickok, when he was murdered on August 2, 1876, in Saloon No. 10 at Deadwood, South Dakota.According to the popular...
", aces and eights.
Rampart ties to Death Row Records
The Rampart Corruption Task Force investigators discovered that hip-hop mogul Suge KnightSuge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
, owner of Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
, had several of the corrupt Rampart officers on his payroll, including Kevin Gaines, Nino Durden, Rafael Pérez, and David Mack. Knight was hiring off-duty Rampart police to work for Death Row as security guards for substantial amounts of money. For instance, after Gaines' shooting, investigators discovered Gaines drove a Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, wore designer suits, and found a receipt in his apartment for a $952 restaurant tab at the Los Angeles hangout, Monty's Steakhouse.
Ties to the Bloods
Knight, a native of ComptonCompton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, has known ties to the Piru
Pirus
The Pirus or Piru Street Boys are a Los Angeles, California area street gang alliance based out of Compton which spread to Carson, Inglewood, and Watts. Piru sets make up most of the original blood gang alliance in Los Angeles.The name "Piru" is derived from Piru Street in the city of Compton...
Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, a criminal street gang.
Following the arrest of Rafael Pérez, investigators discovered photos in his apartment depicting him dressed in red and flashing Blood gang signs.
While in prison, David Mack
David Mack (police officer)
David Anthony Mack , is a former LAPD Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer. He is one of the central figures in the LAPD Rampart police corruption scandal. Mack was arrested for masterminding the November 6, 1997, robbery of $722,000 from a South Central Los...
has openly joined the Bloods, renouncing his affiliation with the LAPD and wearing as much red clothing as can be obtained in prison.
According to Frank Lyga who shot him, Kevin Gaines was flashing gang signs and waving a gun.
Ties to the murder of Notorious B.I.G.
In April 16, 2007, the Estate of Christopher George Latore Wallace, a/k/a The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, which also named Rampart officers Durden, Pérez and Mack defendants. The lawsuit alleges that Pérez, Durden, and Mack conspired to murder Christopher Wallace. The lawsuit alleged that Pérez and Mack were present the night of the murder outside the Petersen Automotive Museum
Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest automotive museums, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a non profit organization specializing in the education and history of the...
on Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard
Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for Henry Gaylord Wilshire , an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. Henry Wilshire initiated what was to become Wilshire...
on March 9, 1997. In 2010, the Wallace family voluntarily dismissed this lawsuit and the claims against the City and the Rampart officers.
LAPD investigators Brian Tyndall and Russell Poole
Russell Poole
Russell Poole is a former LAPD detective most noted for taking over the investigation of the slain rapper known as The Notorious B.I.G.. Poole is also known for investigating the March 18, 1997, killing of LAPD Officer Kevin Gaines by LAPD Officer Frank Lyga....
also believe Mack and other Rampart police were involved in a conspiracy to kill Wallace. Poole claims that LAPD Chief Bernard Parks refused to investigate their claims of Mack's involvement, suppressing their 40 page report, and instructing investigators not to pursue their inquiry. Detective Poole, an 18 year veteran of the force, quit the LAPD in protest and filed a lawsuit against the LAPD for violating his First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights in preventing him from going to the public with his information.
Record settlement
The city of Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
faced more than 140 civil suits resulting from the Rampart scandal, with total estimated settlement costs around $125 million.
Javier Ovando
Javier Ovando
Javier Francisco Ovando , is a Honduran man who became a central figure in the LAPD Rampart Scandal when he was shot and framed by corrupt Rampart officers Rafael Pérez and Nino Durden. Ovando is an immigrant and a former member of the powerful 18th Street Gang...
was awarded a $15 million settlement on November 21, 2000, the largest police misconduct settlement in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
history. Twenty-nine other civil suits were settled for nearly $11 million.
Rampart investigation cover up
There have been multiple allegations that Chief Parks and members of the LAPD were actively involved in obstructing the Rampart Investigation. Parks was in charge of Internal Affairs when Gaines and other Rampart officers were first discovered to have ties to the Bloods and Death Row Records. Parks is said to have protected these officers from investigation. According to Rampart Corruption Task Force Detective Poole, Chief Parks failed to pursue the Hewitt Investigation for a full six months. When Poole presented Chief Parks with a 40 page report detailing the connection between Mack and the murder of Notorious B.I.G., the report was suppressed.On September 26, 2000, Detective Poole, an 18 year veteran of the force, filed a federal civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and Chief Parks. Poole, lead investigator on the Lyga-Gaines shooting and member of the Rampart Corruption Task Force, resigned from the Department and claimed in his civil suit that Chief Parks shut down his efforts to fully investigate the extent of corruption within the Department. Poole specifies conversations and direct orders in which Chief Parks prevented him from pursuing his investigation into the criminal activities of David Mack and Kevin Gaines, notably involving the investigation of the murder of Christopher Wallace.
Many city officials, including Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, expressed a lack of confidence with Chief Parks' handling of the investigation. On September 19, 2000, the Los Angeles City Council
Los Angeles City Council
The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...
voted 10 to 2 to accept a consent decree allowing the U.S. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
to oversee and monitor reforms within the LAPD for a period of five years. The Justice Department, which had been investigating the LAPD since 1996, agreed not to pursue a civil rights lawsuit against the city. Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan
Richard Riordan
Richard J. Riordan is a Republican politician from California, U.S.A. who served as the California Secretary for Education from 2003–2005 and as the 39th Mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1993–2001...
and Police Chief Bernard Parks opposed the consent decree, but were forced to back down in the face of overwhelming support by the city council.
The "L.A.P.D. Board of Inquiry into the Rampart Area Corruption Incident" was released in March 2000. The report made 108 recommendations for changes in LAPD policies and procedures. The Board of Inquiry report, sanctioned by Bernard Parks, was widely criticized for not addressing structural problems within the LAPD.
"An Independent Analysis of the Los Angeles Police Department's Board of Inquiry Report on the Rampart Scandal" was published in September 2000, by University of California, Irvine School of Law Dean, Erwin Chemerinsky
Erwin Chemerinsky
Erwin Chemerinsky is an American lawyer and law professor. He is a prominent scholar in United States constitutional law and federal civil procedure...
at the request of the Police Protective League. Chemerinsky outlined six specific criticisms of the Board of Inquiry report, namely that the LAPD minimized the scope and nature of the corruption; and abetted the corruption through its own internal negligence or corrupt policies. Chemerinsky called for an independent commission to investigate corruption; and a consent decree between the City of Los Angeles and the Justice Department to monitor effective reform.
The "Report of the Rampart Independent Review Panel", published in November 2000, was created by a panel of over 190 community members. Its report issued 72 findings and 86 recommendations. The report noted the Police Commission had been "undermined by the Mayor's Office" and that the Inspector General's Office had been "hindered by ... lack of cooperation by the (LAPD) in responding to requests for information."
Political and cultural aftermath
Police Chief Bernard Parks was not rehired by newly elected Mayor James K. Hahn in 2001. This arguably caused Hahn to lose the support of South Los AngelesSouth Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
's black community, leading to his defeat by Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
in the 2005 election
Los Angeles mayoral election, 2005
The 2005 Los Angeles mayoral election took place on March 8, 2005, with a runoff election on May 17. Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa defeated the sitting mayor, James Hahn, becoming the city’s first Hispanic mayor since the 19th century...
.
The ensuing elimination of the Rampart CRASH division following the scandal is believed to have enabled the Mara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha is a transnational criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles and has spread to other parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. The majority of the gang is ethnically composed of Central Americans and active in urban and suburban areas...
(MS-13) gang to grow its already substantial power among the Rampart district's Salvadoran
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
population. The rival 18th Street Gang
18th Street gang
18th Street gang is considered to be the largest transnational criminal gang in Los Angeles, California. It is estimated that there are thousands of members in Los Angeles County alone...
continues to thrive in Rampart as well, with as many as 20,000 members in Los Angeles county.
In 2002, the television series The Shield
The Shield
The Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
premiered, depicting a band of rogue Los Angeles police officers. The program was so directly inspired by the Rampart Scandal that "Rampart" was nearly used as the series title. The title was presumably changed in order to avoid potential production issues and conflicts with the LAPD.
In 2003, the Blue Ribbon Rampart Review Panel, chaired by Constance L. Rice
Constance L. Rice
Constance L. “Connie” Rice is a prominent American civil rights activist and lawyer. She is also the co-founder and co-director of the Advancement Project in Los Angeles. She has received more than 50 major awards for her work in expanding opportunity and advancing multi-racial democracy...
of the Advancement Project
Advancement Project
The Advancement Project is group with the stated goal of promoting civil rights. It was founded in 1999 by civil rights lawyers in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.. Board members include Constance L. Rice, who is also a co-director, former United States Assistant Attorney General Bill Lann Lee,...
, was convened by the Los Angeles Police Commission and Chief William J. Bratton
William J. Bratton
William Joseph "Bill" Bratton CBE is an American law enforcement officer who served as the chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department , New York City Police Commissioner, and Boston Police Commissioner....
. The panel's report was made public in 2006.
The action thriller movie Cellular
Cellular (film)
Cellular is a 2004 thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham and William H. Macy. The screenplay was written by Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen and J...
featured a plot involving corrupt LAPD cops. Though it was not a serious crime drama, it used the Rampart Scandal to lend some credibility to the plot, showing a documentary segment of the Rampart Scandal in the bonus features of the movie DVD.
The plot of Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games is a major video game developer and publisher based in New York City, owned by Take-Two Interactive following its purchase of UK video game publisher BMG Interactive. The brand is mostly known for Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, L.A...
' controversial game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, set in 1992, involves three corrupt CRASH officers. The CRASH motto, "intimidate those who intimidate others," is earlier spoken directly by one of these characters.
In 2010, the crime drama movie Faster
Faster (2010 film)
Faster is a 2010 American action film directed by George Tillman, Jr. It stars Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Moon Bloodgood, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Maggie Grace. It was released in the United States on November 24, 2010.-Plot:...
featured a police officer played by Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
who is revealed to be a corrupt former Rampart CRASH officer.