DA Will NOT Prosecute LAPD Officers for May Day '07 'Incident'

[dh91040]

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced today [10/30/09] it would not file criminal charges against any of the LAPD officers for their actions during the 2007 May Day melee at MacArthur Park.

Prosecutors said in a statement that after a lengthy review, there was insufficient evidence to prove any officer violated the law when using force, although some might have used "questionable tactics."

They described the incident as "unfortunate and preventable" but said that the office was "closing our file and will take no further action in this matter."

Article continues here.

[DAL]

Seems like the right result to me.

[equinox137]

It only took them 2 1/2 years to come to a decision.....

[DAL]

Now the statute of limitations has run on misdemeanors. And maybe the timing has something to do with Bratton's departure.

[YankeeWhite]

About time. People riot, the police quell the riot, and the police are in the wrong. Isn't it amazing how it takes only hours to vacate charges against rioters and looters and criminals, but years for us.

I could never be a cop in CA.

[mikeymedic]

Good, it is about time these Officers got the IA monkey's off their backs.

[wakeislander]

Awesome news!

To everyone its pretty obvious but in CA you never know...

[Ex Army MP]

Now the statute of limitations has run on misdemeanors. And maybe the timing has something to do with Bratton's departure.

I was always under the impression that if a case is charged as a felony, it can be pursued as a misdemeanor once a decision has been made not to proceed on a felony.

Here, there have been cases where we have gotten an indictment and then plead the case to a DP( our term for misdemeanor) after the one year period has elapsed.

Perhaps the distinction is that an indictment was never returned in this case.

[LA DEP]

Good, it is about time these Officers got the IA monkey's off their backs.

Ummmm.........not yet.....

Some of the cases are still winding their way through the admin discipline part of the case, most at the appeal level.......this just completes the criminal aspect of the case......

[DAL]

I was always under the impression that if a case is charged as a felony, it can be pursued as a misdemeanor once a decision has been made not to proceed on a felony.

Here, there have been cases where we have gotten an indictment and then plead the case to a DP( our term for misdemeanor) after the one year period has elapsed.

Perhaps the distinction is that an indictment was never returned in this case.

[DAL]

In California, criminal cases usually commence with the filing of a complaint (the equivalent of an information in the federal system). None was filed here.

[SOI]

I have this feeling they aren't clear yet. Something tells me that DOJ will file civil rights violation charges against the officers on behalf of the criminals.

[DAL]

I have this feeling they aren't clear yet. Something tells me that DOJ will file civil rights violation charges against the officers on behalf of the criminals.

Possible, but I don't think so. There were no major injuries, and the public outcry died down relatively quickly.

[JasperST]

Possible, but I don't think so. There were no major injuries, and the public outcry died down relatively quickly.

They must have not made a movie about it like they did with the WTO riot in Seattle.

[PhilipCal]

While I'm encouraged by the DA's decision, I'm equally certain that the people responsible for the disturbances will also not be prosecuted. No real surprises there.