Story Published:
Oct 8, 2009 at 12:05 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Oct 8, 2009 at 12:05 PM PDT
SOUTH GATE — The city is still paying for the political turmoil that plagued it at the start of the decade.
It was reported Wednesday that the city has paid out $18 million to settle lawsuits filed by a group of police officers who said they faced racially motivated discrimination, harassment and retaliation, according to their attorney.
Sixteen police officers have filed suits against the city since 2002, alleging they were subjected to racial slurs and false internal affairs investigations, unfairly disciplined and passed up for promotions, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Many said they were discriminated against because of their association with Rick Lopez, a former acting police chief who was ousted in 2002.
The settlements, the last of which was finalized Tuesday, include the claims of four officers who won a $10.4 million jury verdict in 2007, and former Assistant Chief Mark Van Holt, who was awarded $4.2 million by a jury in 2006 in a retaliation suit against the city, The Times reported.
Those verdicts were challenged on appeal by the city and settled for undisclosed amounts that are part of the $18 million, Bradley Gage, the officers’ attorney, told The Times.
Some of the officers said they were blacklisted and harassed for testifying at the 2007 trial. At the time of the verdict in that case, city representatives said the Police Department’s employment practices had since been revamped, and that more minorities were being hired and promoted.
Lopez was the chief of police in Maywood when he was appointed deputy police chief in South Gate in October 2001 by a City Council majority that was recalled from office in January 2003, along with City Treasurer Albert Robles, who was the political kingpin of the city at the time.
Robles was later convicted in federal court on corruption charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in November 2006.
Lopez was fired by a new council majority in April 2003, along with Assistant Acting Chief Mark Van Holt and Deputy Chief of Police Carl Heintz. Lopez and Van Holt had worked together in Maywood.
Van Holt sued over his termination and in March 2006 was awarded $4.2 million by a jury that found the city wrongly fired him for being a whistle blower and exposing alleged corruption within the Police Department and among City Council members.
In May 2007, a jury ruled in favor of Officers Troy Hernandez, Ron Corbet, Dave Matsukiyo and Albert Carrillo in their suit they brought against the city in October 2005. They were originally awarded $10.4 million in damages.
Gage told the judge at Tuesday’s hearing Tuesday that the city had already placed the latest settlement money into a trust fund held by the city’s insurer and that the money did not come from city funds, The Times reported.
Nellie Cobos, a spokesperson for the city, said the latest settlement was for $7 million.
“We’re pleased to bring closure and to start a new beginning,” she told The Times.
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