Jul 10, 2007 9:30 am US/Pacific
City Expects More Lawsuits From May Day Melee
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
Although 64 lawsuits were filed against the City of Los Angeles arising from an outbreak of violence between police and demonstrators during a May Day immigration rights rally at MacArthur Park, more claims are likely on the way, city lawyers said.
Two class-action lawsuits were filed and at least two people claim to have suffered fractures from baton-wielding officers and being shot by foam-rubber bullets during the melee, said Assistant City Attorney Mike Claessens.
"The claims started coming in very quickly after the incident and they certainly keep coming in on a regular basis," Claessens said. "We're still early in the litigation process, and so I think it's reasonable to expect claims and lawsuits for some time to come."
According to Los Angeles police, officers fired 146 foam-rubber bullets and used batons to clear MacArthur Park after a group of 20 to 30 "agitators" threw bottles, rocks and food at police. More than 40 people were injured, including 5 LAPD officers.
The LAPD has begun four internal investigations, while the FBI has started its own probe to determine whether any civil rights violations occurred.
A public report detailing police action during the scuffles is scheduled to be released in September, said Deputy Chief Michael Hillman.
Councilman Jack Weiss, co-chair of the City Council's Special Task Force on the May 1 Protests, suggested the city commit funds to a special account that may be needed for settlements and legal action.
A similar account was created in the aftermath of the LAPD's Rampart Division police corruption scandal, in which more than 70 anti-gang officers were implicated in misconduct. The city doled out about $125 million in settlements in the more than 140 suits filed in wake of the scandal.
The council's Special Task Force on the May 1 Protests, comprised of five City Council members, was created one week after the melee to work with the Police Commission as an oversight panel into the police department's internal investigations.
About 40 people attended the task force's second of five meetings, only a fraction of the 200 people who attended the first task force meeting held May 14 at Charles White Elementary School.
Some city officials attributed the decreased attendance to the fact that Monday night's meeting was held at City Hall, rather than near MacArthur Park.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
