Some officers caught up in investigation - Los Angeles Times
Advertisement

Some officers caught up in investigation

Share via

Scores of LAPD officers were implicated in alleged crimes and misconduct in the Rampart scandal. Most were not prosecuted and remain on the job. Others resigned or were fired, but never faced criminal charges.

Among those who were implicated in crimes, but were not prosecuted and still are employed by the LAPD:

JOHN BERTINO

Active duty

Accused of covering up allegedly unjustified shooting that left a man critically injured. A rookie officer alleged that he had ordered her to falsify a report.

Advertisement

*

PAUL BYRNES

Relieved of duty

Supervisor at the scene of a beating for which three officers have been convicted. Allegedly tipped Perez off to investigation in 1998. Relieved for unrelated alleged misconduct.

*

ARMANDO CORONADO

Active duty

Accused of conspiring to make false arrests, using excessive force and committing perjury.

*

FRANK GALINDO

Active duty

Accused of covering up allegedly unjustified shooting in which a man was killed. It remains under investigation.

*

SONNY GARCIA

Restricted duty

Involved in accidental shooting that allegedly was covered up. Suspended for 110 days in unrelated case for associating with a known felon and for unauthorized accessing of department computers.

Advertisement

*

GEORGE HOOPES

Restricted duty

Made plaques for officers who wounded or killed suspects. Refused to testify before a grand jury. Recently suspended for 15 days for associating with a felon.

*

DANIEL LUJAN

Restricted duty

Dubbed the “Candy Man,†Perez said, because he planted rock cocaine on suspects. Involved in Dec. 31, 1995 “New Year’s Eve†shooting which was allegedly unjustified and covered up. Found guilty by LAPD disciplinary board of filing false report in gun plant case and reprimanded because statutory limit for more serious discipline had expired.

*

LAWRENCE MARTINEZ

Restricted duty

Fired over the alleged framing of a drug suspect. Firing upheld by Superior Court, but then- Chief Martin Pomeroy granted a new hearing at which he was found not guilty and reinstated. Disciplinary charges pending.

Advertisement

*

SCOTT McNEIL

Relieved of duty

Fired over the alleged framing of a drug suspect. Firing overturned by a judge because of procedural errors, and he was ordered reinstated. Accused of helping to cover up an unjustified shooting. Disciplinary charges pending.

*

MICHAEL MONTOYA

Restricted duty

Accused of obstructing justice in investigation into slaying of a teenage gang member killed minutes after being released from patrol car. Also of covering up an allegedly unjustified shooting that left one man dead and two others injured. Allegedly lied to investigators about role as a backup officer in another shooting that was covered up. Refused to testify before a grand jury.

*

KULIN PATEL

Active duty

Accused of covering up an allegedly unjustified shooting that left one man dead and two injured. Implicated in other alleged offenses, including an illegal search.

*

MARK RICHARDSON

Active duty

Accused of covering up an unjustified shooting that left one man dead and two injured. Refused to testify before a grand jury. Implicated in other alleged offenses, including perjury, illegal search and false arrests.

*

MARIO RIOS

Restricted duty

Accused of obstructing justice during investigation into the slaying of a teenage gang member killed after being released from patrol car. Also accused of lying to investigators about role as a backup officer in a shooting that was covered up.

*

HUMBERTO TOVAR

Restricted duty

Fired for planting drugs on a suspect but reinstated because of procedural violations by LAPD disciplinary panel. Implicated in other alleged offenses including perjury, excessive force, illegal searches, false arrests. Disciplinary charges pending.

Advertisement

*

OMAR VELOZ

Active duty

Accused of excessive force and false reports.

*

DANIEL WIDMAN

Active duty

Shot an unarmed man in the stomach in 1995 -- a shooting that police officials now say they believe was covered up.

*

MELISSA ZAK

Active duty

Accused of covering up an allegedly unjustified shooting.

*

Officers who resigned or were fired from the department, but not prosecuted in connection with Rampart probe:

EDWARD BREHM

Resigned

Accused of excessive force and conspiring to plant drugs on a suspect.

*

JOHN COLLARD

Fired

Involved in Dec. 31, 1995 “New Year’s Eve shooting,†which was allegedly unjustified and covered up. Fired for inappropriately accessing department computers and lying to investigators. Implicated in other alleged offenses, including false arrests.

*

BRIAN HEWITT

Fired

Allegedly beat a gang member bloody in the police station. Police officials publicly called for his prosecution, but he was never charged. Implicated in other alleged offenses, including false arrests, evidence planting and excessive force.

*

SAMUEL MARTIN

Fired

Allegedly made false statements to investigators about a trip to Las Vegas with former LAPD Officers Rafael Perez and David Mack, shortly after Mack robbed a bank of more than $700,000.

*

CAMERINO MESINA

Resigned

Former medal of valor winner given immunity for testifying against fellow officers in 1996 beating of a gang member. Admitted involvement in cover-up.

Advertisement

*

RUBEN PALOMARES

Fired

Accused of covering up allegedly unjustified shooting in which a man was killed. Later convicted of cocaine trafficking after unrelated investigation. Under investigation with fellow LAPD officers in a string of invasion-style robberies. Also under investigation in an unsolved slaying in Huntington Park.

*

DOYLE STEPP

Resigned

Accused of helping to cover up an allegedly unjustified shooting, using excessive and other offenses.

*

Officers who were unsuccessfully prosecuted and who are still with the LAPD:

MICHAEL BUCHANAN

Relieved of duty

Convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, but conviction overturned by judge. Case appealed by district attorney. Disciplinary charges in Rampart scandal pending.

*

PAUL HARPER

Active duty

Charged with obstruction of justice along with three other Rampart Division officers, but acquitted.

*

BRIAN LIDDY

Relieved of duty

Convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice; conviction overturned by judge. Case appealed by district attorney. Disciplinary charges in Rampart scandal pending.

*

EDWARD ORTIZ

Relieved of duty

Convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice; conviction overturned by judge. Case appealed by district attorney. Refused to testify before grand jury. Disciplinary charges scandal pending.

Advertisement

*

Officers who resigned or were fired and who were convicted of crimes:

MANUEL CHAVEZ

Resigned

Pleaded no contest to assault under color of authority for 1996 beating of a gang member. Sentenced to 60-day jail term and placed on three years’ probation.

*

ETHAN COHAN

Fired

Pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and filing a false report in 1996 beating of a gang member. Fired from LAPD for helping to cover up a beating in the Rampart police station in 1998. Serving one-year sentence in County Jail.

*

NINO DURDEN

Resigned

Former partner of Perez pleaded guilty to stealing drugs and money from suspects and covering up the shooting of an unarmed man. Serving a five-year federal sentence.

*

SHAWN GOMEZ

Resigned

Pleaded no contest to filing a false report in 1996 beating of a gang member. Sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to serve 400 hours of community service.

*

Source: Los Angeles Police Department

Advertisement