PROLOGUE
Last week two Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies, Michael Rathbun and James Sexton—both the sons of law enforcement fathers—filed suit in federal court naming LA County, Sheriff Lee Baca, the former undersheriff Paul Tanaka, Lt. Greg Thompson, and a string of others.
The suit alleges retaliation, constitutional violations, malicious prosecution, conspiracy, harassment, direct threats—and a lot more.
It appears that Sexton and Rathbun tried every other possible route within the department to bring to light the alleged misconduct they said they witnessed, and to put a stop to the ongoing retaliation and agressive threats they reportedly experienced—but with no luck. So with much trepidation, the two brought this doozy of a lawsuit containing a laundry list of disturbing allegations, some of which we’ll cover in much more depth in the days to come.
For now here’s the overview:
RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
To understand the whole of the 39-page lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday April 23, by attorneys Brad Gage, Terry Goldberg, and Milad Sadr, all of Goldberg and Gage, it helps to remember that Rathbun and Sexton are the two deputies who were in the news some months ago, after a case they were working inside the jails allegedly got deliberately blown by their supervisor, Lt. Greg Thompson.
Sexton and Rathbun worked for the investigative unit inside the county jails known as Operation Safe Jails—or OSJ—an elite unit that develops intelligence sources and confidential informants among the inmates in order to better predict problems among the facilities’ gang populations.
The two, most particularly Sexton, were known for their facility at cultivating confidential informants—or CIs—who then yielded information that, in a great many cases, led to fruitful busts in the jails and, even more often, out in the street. Other units in the LASD, the LAPD, and sometimes the FBI had all, at one time or another, been able to make use of Sexton and Rathbun’s information.
In the course of the investigation that would trigger the string of events leading to this lawsuit, the two had been told by a confidential informant, whom they had found in the past to be extremely reliable, that a deputy in Men’s Central Jail, whose name was Joseph Britton, was allegedly passing information—and possibly more—-to an inmate who was the primary white supremacist shot caller for the county’s jail system. (Each racial group has its own gang hierarchy within each facility, and then an uber hierarchy in the county system as a whole.)
In return for his alleged favors for the white supremacist guy, who whose nickname is “Fritz,” Britton was allegedly getting expensive tattoo work for free by Fritz’s partner, who has a tattoo shop in the West Valley.
Sexton and Rathbun wrote up their detailed report on Britton, expecting their direct supervisor, Lt. Greg Thompson, to pass the information on to either Internal Affairs, or more likely, ICIB, the department’s internal investigative unit dealing with criminal matters, which would look into the allegations further.
Incredibly, Thompson did not pass the investigation up the line. Instead he took the un-redacted report—featuring Rathbun and Sexton’s name as investigators, and worse, the name of the confidential informant—and gave it to Britton, the deputy being investigated, plus others, thus effectively blowing the case to smithereens, and putting their CI potentially at lethal risk, since he was now in a position of being known as a snitch among Aryan Brotherhood types when he got out of jail. Being a snitch, in gang circles of any ethnicity, is traditionally a death sentence.
After Thompson leaked Sexton and Rathbun’s report, he reportedly did the thing that Sexton and Rathbun found the most unforgivable: He allegedly ordered one of his “acolyte” deputies to declassify their CI from a “K-10″ protected status, and then move him into the jail’s “general population,” meaning he was out among the masses, completely unprotected, thus his life would be immediately at risk. The risk was especially potent now that Lt. Thompson had liberally handed around the confidential investigative report that would unambiguously label the informant as a “snitch.” A rat.
Indeed, an attempt on the CI’s life was reportedly made almost immediately after the move into general population, or gen pop. An inmate tried to shank him in the showers. The CI survived, according to Rathbun and Sexton, but only because he was larger and faster than his assailant.
The minute they heard of the CI’s exposure, Sexton and Rathbun pulled every string possible, and managed get their man back into a protected unit where they kept a close eye on him.
Stunned and furious at what they saw as their boss’s deliberate endangerment of their informant, Sexton and Rathbun went to internal affairs themselves and laid out what they knew.
That, according to the lawsuit, is when the threats and the retaliation began.
Months later, when an article about the Britton matter appeared in the LA Times, Rathbun and Sexton were subsequently called to testify in front of a federal grand jury.
After the feds entered the picture, the retaliation, the intimidation and the implicit and explicit threats became far more intense and frightening, according to the lawsuit.
SECOND GENERATION LAWMEN
Both Rathbun and Sexton are well-educated deputies, and second-generation cops, who appeared to come to the department with the idealistic view that the LASD was a place where they could make a positive contribution. Rathbun graduated from UC Santa Barbara, while Sexton began at West Point, finished up at the University of Alabama, and is now getting his master’s at USC.
Mike Rathbun is the son of 35-year LASD veteran, David Rathbun, now a reserve deputy. James Sexton is the son of Ted Sexton, the department’s newly hired Chief of Homeland Security, who left his longtime job as head of the sheriff’s department in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, to come to work for his friend, Lee Baca.
In fact, when they had reportedly exhausted all other avenues, the lawsuit also alleges that each of the deputies talked multiple times personally with Baca whom they informed of everything that now forms the basis of the 39-page complaint. Sexton and Rathbun maintain they asked Baca for help, for advice as how best to proceed and, as matters deteriorated, they expressed fears for their personal safety.
Yet, it all came to nothing, they said.
Instead, the retaliation and threats against Rathbun and Sexton continued to get worse.
THE ANTHONY BROWN FACTOR: HIDING THE FEDERAL INFORMANT (FROM THE FEDS)
Even before the matter of Lt. Thompson, and the alleged endangering of the confidential informant, the lawsuit states that Rathbun and Sexton were ordered to participate in an “operation” that they quickly realized likely involved them in a crime—namely the hiding of FBI informant, Anthony Brown.
According to the lawsuit, the matter of moving Brown from place to place, clandestinely, inside the jail system, which LASD officials have claimed was done for Brown’s safety, was explicitly for the purpose of keeping him away from his FBI handlers and anyone from the U.S. Attorney’s office. Sexton and Rathbun know this because they were part of the team tasked with an extremely elaborate scheme of allegedly hiding Brown from any FBI agents or assistant US Attorneys, so that he could be debriefed by members of the sheriff’s department, who wanted to know for themselves what Brown had seen and heard that he was going to pass along to the Feds.
The lawsuit alleges that Lt. Thompson led the operation, but that he repeatedly stated to his troops that he did so at the direction of Paul Tanaka. Sexton and Rathbun describe multiple instances where Tanaka’s oversight was verified.
The deputies also report having knowledge of Sheriff Lee Baca being briefed on the operation.
WHITE POWER GANGS & RACIST DEPUTIES
Among its many disheartening allegations, the suit maintains that certain members of OSJ—the elit investigative unit within the LA County Jail system of which Sexton and Rathbun were members—have “an inappropriate relationship” with “various inmate gangs, particularly white supremacist gangs,” and that these department members use the inmate gangsters “as proxies or agents to retaliate against other LASD deputies or inmates” against whom they have a beef or grudge.
Sexton and Rathbun reportedly know this because they’ve witnessed it, and also because, once the Britton case came apart, they began being targeted.
The lawsuit outlines a quid pro quo system in which the Aryan Brotherhood-like types get special privileges that they are “otherwise legally precluded from.” In return, the white power gangsters do dirty work for a clique of racist deputies, a group in which Rathbun and Sexton say Thompson is included. (The suit also notes that Greg Thompson is a Viking from the same era as Paul Tanaka, and is reportedly very close to Tanaka. Thompson is named multiple times for wrongdoing in the famous class action lawsuit, Thomas v. the County of Los Angeles, settled in 1996 for $9 million.)
The lawsuit also alleges incidents in which OSJ deputies working in Men’s Central Jail would beat up inmates when it suited them, in one case, repeatedly harassing and injuring one of Sexton’s other confidential informants.
When Sexton reported the issues with his informant, having first vetted the claims to his own satisfaction, nothing was done. It was just bad judgement at most, he was told. Inmates lie.
THREATS & RETALIATION
The tale of the escalating threats and retaliation against Sexton and Rathbun that the lawsuit alleges is alarming and likely worth its own harrowing narrative. Here, however, is a sampling:
In late February 2012, Sexton was “cornered” in a department office by two OSJ deputies, who were on duty in uniform, who told him that he and Rathbun “better shut up or else,’ about the Britton case.
Also in February, Sexton was confronted around 1 am in the jails parking lot by a uniformed deputy who warned, his manner agressive, that he and Rathbun had better keep their mouths shut about the Britton case.
At the same time, MCJ OSJ deputies referred to Sexton and Rathbun as “snitches” and told them that in moving “Fritz,’ the white power shot caller, the two were “fucking up their program.”
In March 2012, Sexton conducted an audio-taped interview with a suspect in an unrelated case, in the custody facilities. Bizarrely, the audio was subsequently leaked and posted on YouTube. “Sexton’s ID was thus exposed, and his well-being placed in jeopardy.” Sexton asked Lt. Thompson to investigate the matter, but Thompson reportedly declined telling Sexton to ‘forget about it.”
In April 2012, Rathbun, who had been struggling with drinking to cope with increasing job stress, had a bad night in which he drank a lot, and got into a “fender bender,” and was charged with a misdemeanor DUI. The video of the arrest, was anonymously posted on the LASD’s intranet network.
“White power” literature was left on the front porch at Rathbun’s home in a manner that was seen as a threat. At the same time, white power inmates in MCJ began referring to Rathbun and Sexton as “race traitors.”
The lawsuit reports several similar and aggressive warnings of “you better…or else” from OSJ deputies, including Lt. Thompson’s son, Matt Thompson.
In April 2012, right before Sexton was due to be interviewed by Internal affairs about the Britton incident. Lt. Thompson himself called Sexton at home and asked if he was going to talk to IA and ICIB. Sexton said he was. Thompson then reportedly abruptly hung up.
The threats continued, and included awkward meetings with Thompson who demanded to know what Sexton and Rathbun had told LASD personnel in this or that interview.
In May, Thompson called Sexton into his office. “Have you been calling your dad back home about this?” he wanted to know. Yes, sir, said Sexton. “If I were you I’d quit telling your dad war stories about what’s going on in this jail.”
Often now, according to the lawsuit, the threats came with explicit mentions of bodily harm.
After Sexton and Rathbun were subpoenaed to testify in front of a grand jury, and indeed testified, two deputies cornered Sexton, one of them, Lt. Greg Thompson’s son, Matt Thompson, wanting to know what they’d talked about at the grand jury.
In June, after Thompson was removed from the unit, two deputies announced at a unit party that whomever caused “the boss” to be transfered would “answer” for their actions.
Sexton has allegedly been subject to frivolous retaliatory investigations by Internal Affairs, each time coming to nothing.
And then there is the matter of Rathbun’s DUI, which was quietly upped to a felony, which would have likely meant prison time, although, according to the lawsuit, there was no factual basis whatsoever for the escalation of charges. The suit alleges that the charges were raised at the behest of LASD supervisors.
Rathbun’s car was vandalized on LASD property.
Sexton found men in an unmarked car across the street from his house, watching his home, attempting to take pictures. When Sexton approached them, they claimed to be “insurance inspectors,” but reportedly sped away when he asked for ID.
In the summer of 2012, Rathbun was suspended without pay for the DUI, but assured by Baca that he would be able to return with no harm to his career.
In September 2012 Sexton needed to make a work-related visit to the department’s Temple Station, where Thompson had been transferred after an LA Times article precipitated the opening of an IA investigation into his actions regarding the Britton matter. Upon arriving, however, Sexton was intercepted by Temple station’s Sgt. Larry Mead, who reportedly relayed a message from Thompson that Sexton should leave the premises, “to prevent an incident.”
In late 2012, a high-ranking supervisor expressed concern that Sexton and Rathbun’s lives might be in danger.
in late 2012, “Rathbun discovered that LASD personnel, including Detective Perkins,” were the ones responsible for escalating his DUI misdemeanor to a felony. (The charge was eventually dropped again by the DA to a misdemeanor, and the case settled.)
In March of 2013,” reports the lawsuit, “Michael Rathbun was recommended for termination,” although the DUI was his first infraction, and according to a document obtained by WLA, at least 5 other LASD deputies and 4 non-sworn LASD staff members also got DUI’s in the first two quarters of last year, for which they received only 15 to 30-day suspensions.
There’s more to this story, so stay tuned for the next chapter of Betrayal of Trust
Nice work Celeste. You put the LA Times to shame in comparison to their mere token and diluted coverage of this very important story. One can’t help but wonder if the Koch brothers are already running that show.
All True! Seriously, does anyone truly doubt their story? Apparently, the IAB investigators, Baca, Tanaka, Dennis Burns and the witless Wetmore who said there was no retaliation.
Option 1: County will try to settle out of court, give you some money and screw you to sign that you can never come back to LASD or any other LE job. Remember, your lawyers are going to get 33% to 50% of any settlement.
Option 2: Go to trial and you have very good chances of winning. After the verdict don´t go to arbitration or for a settlement hearing. The County, at the bequest of Baca, will screw you again with years of delay. Get the jury to give you guys an award as large as you can. Make sure you don´t talk to County Counsel and make sure your lawyers don talk to them either! Ask your lawyers if they know or have worked with any of the county counsel attorneys in that past or present. Keep your guard up at all times. Get a hold of any past LASD folks who have succeeded in suing the county. Try to set a new standard where Baca,Tanaka, Burns and Thompson must pay PUNITIVE DAMAGES out of their pocket! It may not be likely but prudent for you guys to try
Be patient and DON´T talk to anyone about your case! Keep a log and take NOTHING for granted! There are many a Judas on LASD and will sell themselves for a lot less than 30 pieces of silver.
Stay close to your families but don´t tell your dads a word. If you pray then you are on the right track. If you don´t pray I urge you to start.
If either of you need to reach me you can do so through witla
Best to you both
Well said J. Strange how lasd is looking more like thug town each day
It has been thug town for at least 3 1/2 to 4 years through my experience. For deputies having to go to the Sheriff to ask for protection from threats from Lt’s, Sgt’s and fellow deputies on their lives and nothing is done, you know its bad.
This has been going on in other units as well and not an isolated incident. An investigator from Detective Division was having the same experience and had to call I.A. and was laughed at by an I.A. Ops Lt and thought it was funny. He thought it was such a joke. That investigator had to go straight to SHB and speak to higher ups, showing evidence that it was true.
No one cares unless there is corraboration, emails, video or anything else. When you back someone into a corner, you shouldn’t be surprised by the desperate measures people take to announce out loud in open forum what has been going on for years.
I also agree with J. London….start praying because that might be one of the major thing you will have in your corner. God.
Yeh buddy
Does anyone know if Lt Thompson is still on active duty? I remember when the story was released last year, there was some confusion as to whether or not Thompson had been relieved of duty.This is frightening stuff. But I think that we can all rest assured that there will be indictments. Just a thought: I wonder if either of these guys were wired by the feds when they spoke to Baca?
So the deputies involved in this lawsuit went through their chain of command all the way to Baca. What did it get them? Sexton’s dad, “Chief” Sexton is advised if not at the dinner table via phone, or maybe by the chain of command reporting to him (in Alabama) or maybe even Sheriff Baca himself! What did it get him? A J-O-B! I do not know too many cops who would take a job with someone who was in the process of screwingh over his son. I don’t think any true cop would allow that. Maybe a better question is, WHY did Sheriff Baca make the job offer?
It is sad to me that these deputies had the ability to go all the way to the Sheriff for face time, where most of us cannot get an office visit, and do not get any help anyway. What is going on with Baca? Does he not care that yet another lawsuit is coming? Maybe if he had to pay out of his own money he would not be so willing to look the other way. But what the heck, the county will pay whatever settlement is ordered. Oh I am sorry, the people of LA will pay for his decisions, not him.
Chief Sexton came from a small agency down south where he was responsible for about 200-ish sworn and civilian employees. Mens Central Jail alone has double the number sworn and civilians (not including medical personnel) and he is now trying to play catch up and show what a great leader he is (good thing they decided NOT to put him in Custody Division)! How is that working for his son?
Oh and Chief Sexton has to be POST certified which I understand has not happened yet. I wonder if he will go to a class or have private tutoring. Does he get the policy and procedures before or after POST is completed? What if he doesn’t pass? Rumor has it the Sheriff ordered a certain Captain to ensure Sexton’s POST goes through and a promotion will be in store! How does THAT work? Anyone looking into that?
They want to terminate Rathburn for his DUI, after all the executives we know about including the “infamous Waldie” who had numerous DUI(s) in county vehicles? There is no shame on this department. Baca must go, maybe he continues to self-medicate in order to delude himself. I admire these deputies for their courage and persistence and I hope they win millions of dollars and those named pay punitive damages.
Better yet, how about that photo where Baca is wearing that DX shooting badge. Anybody want to bet that Baca could go to the range right now and shoot DX? Is there a little hanky pinky going on there?
CSN83: FYI: Willie Williams of LAPD never passed the POST exam and the city had to approve his CCW. If Sexton does not pass the Sheriff could issue him a CCW and promotion. Is Baca that crooked? Yup! Recall when our academy was closed by POST due to wholesale cheating? Why did Sexton take the job of chief knowing how his son was being badly treated by Baca, Tanaka et al? If any of us see these two men please treat them as good deputies! Let them know we are pulling for them! We can do this!
CSN 83,
By far you most grotesque post of your career my friend. It was distasteful and not the proper forum to make those remarks. I bet if you reach down in your pockets you are $99 dollars lighter… Yes, Ted is his father, but this is the story of what two of OUR YOUNG deputies have endured.
Instead you go and attempt to make this about his father! What a joke! Circle the wagons here people and get behind these kids. Ted has been here six weeks and already proven to be open-minded and receptive. If you think his kid is in a wreck, get off your butt and call the guy. He is the most accessible Chief outside of Abner we have.
From what I can tell and what I have heard about these guys got heart, brains, and balls. Sound like decent attributes needed to be a cop. Yeah, one got pinched for DUI…. Help him and build him back up that’s what the OLD LASD used to do! Not leak a video like the sick sadistic goonies up north.
Ooooops I forgot, I got 99 dollars so I can be a “cool guy” and tear people’s lives and careers apart. Sexton drove his butt across the country to be in Tan and Green. That takes guts and courage and a willingness to step out of a lengthy shadow….
You really think he told his father everything?!? Christ, there isn’t a son in the history of mankind who told his parents everything. This kid has been told he was crazy and overblown at every turn. How could you possibly expect him to chance that rejection with his own father?
Again, go to bat for these guys and pick the phone. I did. God helps those who help themselves and these kids need more than your prayers. They need your networks, your training, and your experience. Leave your politics at home and do what is right for people who shown they can do what is right.
JD,,, you are absolutely right about Sexton & Rathbun (aka “the kids”). No doubt they have major huevos to stand up & do right. We all know that is not always admired on our Dept.
Regarding “Ted” aka the Chief (sorry, didn’t know his first name), it is just a bit concerning and familiar given Carona’s antics in the OC bringing in people from the outside. Just bringing things to light, didn’t mean to ruffle feathers.
I’m glad to see that there is still a rallying cry when deputies are down, literally or metaphorically.
The only thing I can say is that Deputy Sexton and Ted Sexton should probably be treated as separate entities. As both are adults, I doubt one can be held responsible for the actions of the other, no matter what the circumstances. I haven’t heard a bad thing about Chief Sexton yet, and until I do, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Clearly he imparted some concept of the right thing no matter what, or his son would have melted into the shadows and worked the grey with everyone else, or at least turned a blind eye.
Anyone pay attention to the lasd retired briefing board? Deputy Rathbun has apparently confronted his alcohol problem head on. What I read is that he is active in the AA meetings and passed a year sober recently. That takes courage and hard work. I mention it because you know the department PR machine is going to start sniping at the two deputies, and use whatever handholds they can to gain the upper hand. These two deputies are going to have to grow thick skin fast.
I wonder low long it will take the enforcers from the SHB camp to show up here and start torpedoing the character of these two. You’ll know them when they show up, because they will side step the allegations and try and attack character instead.
Steve Whitmore is quoted in the LA Times as saying that Rathbun and Sexton were not retaliated against. So Baca is saying these two are liars. Plain and simple. This should get interesting.
I agree completely with what’s been said. Reach out to both and send your support.
The claims made by plaintiffs Rathbun and Sexton and the sincerity of their motive have already earned an important stamp of validity through the fact that attorney Bradley Gage has agreed to represent their case.
Gage’s record is neither pro-cop nor anti-cop. He has successfuly represented civilian claimants who suffered unjust injury caused by improper actions of law enforcement. He successfuly defended LAPD cops sued by the descendants of infamous North Hollywood Bank of America shootout suspect Mataserainu. Gage also pursued a massive class action against LAPD over retaliatory practices and firings of department whistleblowers.
This is an extremely rare occasion when the announcement of another lawsuit against LASD and the taxpayers of L.A. County doesn’t cause one to cringe, but instead elicits a small bubble of hopefulness.
Ultimately, Gage represents those who have been genuinely wronged and are prepared to endure the long and arduous road of civil litigation versus a government agency.
The record shows that monetary payoff isn’t the prize that rules the terms of settlement.
Brad Gage doesn’t accept clients who are simply looking for dollars. Gage and his clients almost always have a strong interest in the lawsuit as a force for reform.
Reform that brings an agency and its practice back to the principles and public purpose under which it was founded.
Reform that makes things better for those who will fill the uniform in the future and better for the community at large.
So we demote people over B2V, but allow this serious situation and others to go unchecked. Hang in there Rathburn and Sexton. You guys have the support of a lot of people.
Let me get this straight, these egregious allegations are made by these two deputies and Chief Alex Yim does NOT ROD Thompson, but goes along with a transfer to a coveted position at Narco? Are you kidding me? Where is OIR during all of this? When did the “official” IAB case start, after the Times broke the story? This is so wrong on so many levels. The Lynwood Vikings have a very long and documented history of misconduct towards supervisors “they” did not like. Character assassination is their forte’ and now the game is being played against Rathbun and Sexton. This is outrageous and if the WLA story is correct, Baca does nothing? Attempting to dissuade or threatening a Federal Witness is a Federal offense. I bet those behind these allegations don’t sleep very well and most likely cringe each time their phone rings or someone knocks on their front door because they know what is coming their way and they can’t stop it. The good folks of LASD need to rally behind these two deputies. It is time to end this madness.
I can only hope there are more men like this working for lasd. In such a corupt system, it makes me sick to think we punish the “good guys”. i personally know one of these men and he would walk thru fire to protect someone else. These are the men we need protecting us. I stand behind them 100 percent
Used to work with a couple of the guys back when they were on the floor that I believed are mentioned in the timeline. Refer to the LASD Stupid Joke email LA Times article. How do the same names always come up again?
Graduate Rio Hondo Academy, goto 3k floor for a minute, OSJ, buy a house of the “bosses” son, grow a beard, hide an informant, goto patrol at Temple when the time is right. It was all laid out perfect right??? Looks like we get endure some more of your antics and representation of this department. Weren’t you Sexton’s TO at OSJ and always have “the boys” make him “feel at home” at CJ? Sgt. Thompson allowed this stuff on the floor and I guess he couldn’t leave it at the door when he got the bar.
Stay up gents. These guys may very well end up rolling them sleeves down and walking around with their hands in their pockets too because of this. There is always room on those top tiers…
This is a grim situation. But to those who have called on God, if you ask for God you will get God. James 4:2, you do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives. Make your motives and your method of change as pure as you wish the department to be. If you truly want to help these Deputies and the many others that are in their exact same shoes (because there are more than just those two, you all just have not heard about them or maybe you have…), and you want God’s help then follow his word. Eph 6:12 and 2 Cor 10:4-5 show it is not flesh and blood that we fight. That is what Baca is doing; fire anyone that stands in his way, demote or humiliate those who oppose him. But the stronghold is not held by people, it’s held by the ideas and culture. Those are the things that must change, and I know there are at least a few of you leaders out there. Most of you have been in or around the department long enough to have more than enough influence to change things. If you want Baca and the others gone you better know who is best fitted to replace him and change the culture for the better. Otherwise we will end up with someone just as bad or worse. God doesn’t help those who help themselves, God has placed you where you are because YOU are the ones called to help.
Between this article and the B2V it shows that coming forward with the information from jail corruption to a Commander who needed a mug is not a safe thing to do. Sorry no warm fuzzy feeling about doing that anytime soon. Any one believing some of these posts, to man up and call Sexton or Baca I would really consider just doing an anonymous letter route. Those folks still have a job.
In the lawsuit they mention malicious prosecution and retaliation. Do they really think that by Whitmore saying that the Sheriff is committed to a firm no retaliation policy means anything to those who have come forward.
How many others out there have gone through the malicious prosecution and or retaliation doled out by this administration and under the guidance of Baca.
As in the OC, when the “house” started to crumble at their Sheriffs Department the once thought of as allies became enemies they threw each other under the bus. Does this sound familiar? That administration thought they had it all under control to. But Justice will prevail as Baca cuts people out and brings new ones onto his team. What old bones will surface this year?
Maybe the Feds, Grand Jury, Board of Supervisors, Police Asso., “someone” call a time out to regroup this out of control administration. Is there anyone who can help slow this disaster down? Anyone know? Maybe a vote of “No Confidence” ??????????
**In September 2012 Sexton needed to make a work-related visit to the department’s Temple Station, where Thompson had been transferred after an LA Times article precipitated the opening of an IA investigation into his actions regarding the Britton matter. Upon arriving, however, Sexton was intercepted by Temple station’s Sgt. Larry Mead, who reportedly relayed a message from Thompson that Sexton should leave the premises, “to prevent an incident.”
The last I heard he was moving furniture but is now working with Thompson at Temple Station? Two peas in a pod if you ask me. So now he delivers messages for Thompson? Sounds like a threat to me. I’m sure the Feds will find that statement interesting.
Rathbun and Sexton, hang in there and just tell the truth. You have more support than you think. And as with Olmsted, the truth will come out and you will sleep well at night, while others won’t. The wheels are coming off folks and that is a good thing for LASD.
Hopefully it doesn’t go to a federal judge by the name of Gutierrez as it seems the dept has an especially cushy relationship with him….Maybe the Feds could look into that???
Wouldn’t it be funny if Tanaka went to the Times and did an interview, blaming all of the problems of LASD on Baca? Silly me, what in the world was I thinking? Wouldn’t it be funny if Tanaka had this crazy notion to run for Sheriff? I know, crazy thoughts. Silly me.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Dear “End,”
I’ll have something up shortly. (Once my head stops exploding.)
Well, I am not surprised Tanaka went to the L.A. Times. This should be interesting…..
What I find extremely funny is that Tanaka has the arrogance and hypocrisy to actually believe that he is qualified to run for sheriff. He still thinks that “he is all that.” He and Baca have been surrounded by butt kissers for so long, that they have forgotten that most members of the department despise them and have absolutely no respect for them. I will donate money and volunteer for any other respectable and knowledgeable individual who runs for sheriff rather than have this trash continue.
What a mess and no protection from those that were sworn to protect. Not even the Sheriff. The LA Times could be doing a daily article on this department alone for months and still have new information. Hang in there. There are still good people on this department that are behind you and want the thugs out.
But the Sheriff didn’t know! He didn’t know! He didn’t… oh, what’s that? The two deputies met personally with the Sheriff to tell him what exactly had happened, and was happening?
……Oh
Kinda shuts down the only defense Baca has had thru every one of the scandals from the beginning.
“I didn’t know”.
Now there is proof that, even when he is made aware of a problem, he takes no action. Of course if this was a problem with a couple of his campaign donors, he would be all over it and get it rectified. Or a Celebrity Reserve, city councilmen. Or if it was some congressman talking about the threat of Islamic terrorists he would have flown across the country to get involved.
A couple of his own deputies? He either doesn’t care, can’t remember the next day, or has more important things to do. Whatever the reason, this is a glaring example of Leroy Baca’s failure to mind the shop and do his job. An astounding failure of leadership.
Oh, so 2 deputies go to the Sheriff, personally and tell him what happened in the jail and this is what happens.
What is the difference when 2 Captains go to the Commander and tell him what happened, even though he was intimately involved and they get demoted with the Commander.
Does this mean the Sheriff gets a Skelly hearing too? Oh wait he has to be interviewed by IA 1st, right? Who will write the summary? Sheriff better be careful who he sleeps with or they might demote him and take his job……..just saying
The days of secrets and undercover operations are over.
We have social media now. Covert operations are at a stand still. These things have been going on for a long time within the dept. It´s that now, the general public has access to our internal affairs through the internet. Therefore, many things are being exposed and many deputy law suit are beginning to surface. In the past, disquantled deputies had to except wrongdoing or be punished. All secrets things are coming to light now. Heads are rolling. Follow good and sound judgement and we will be just fine. but rule breaker will be found out and fired. Some call it Enlightenment others call it truthseekers but the times are changing truth is rising and disceptions are falling. 2013 is the year where truth begins to bloom for humanity. The clans who get their evil energy from satan/devil and do his work through secrets orders will now be reviled to the masses. Energy is changing brains are opening and seeing things like never before the Angles in heaven are prepairing to save humanity.
Sheriff Baca is a kind, caring man.LASD has wondertful kind caring Deputies who would lay down their life for you. It is sad and Pathetic that Tanaka is a sad lonely little man. His desire to be Sheriff is disguisting and offense. Paul Tanaka is acting like a ranving manic, he appears to be in my opinion to be acting like a 5150 nut case. A person would have to be insane to vote for this patthic creature. As a victim of Domestic Violence I have meet many wonderful kind Deputies, Lt, Sg, Watch Commnaders who would lay down their life for you or me. You do not find it weird all these yrs Tanaka worked was happy, now he bashes a good, kind man Sheriff Baca. My opinion Paul Tanaka is a ranving manic more and more he is acting like a 5150 mental case. He needs to man up and stop acting like a spoiled brat who can’t have his way. God help us if this little 90 lb man is elected. Anyone who goes to great lengths to insult, bash show such contempt for Sheriff Baca and the Sheriff dept, after working all thse yrs is one sick person. Tanaka my own opinion you need to see a shrink, you wished you were half the man Sheriff Baca or the Deputies are. Paul Tanaka grow up start acting like a real man instead of s spoiled brat having a temper tantrum. God Bless you Sheriff Baca. LASD, Lt, Sg, Deputies I back you 300%. Do not listen to this looser he wishes he could be half the man Sheirff Baca and the Depuites are. No he wishes he could be half the man the female Deputies are. Pathetic he is a disgrace to the Sheriff Dept. Tanaka your acting crazy get psy help ASAP.
Gabby,
My thougths Paul Tanaka is sickening why bash Sheriff Baca a kind man when you need to look at your own past? Anyone who would vote for a back biting man like Tanaka needs help.
Tanaka is on a Rage like a Raving Manic since the truth came out about him. Tanaka acts more and more like a mental case ( a 5150) my opinion
Tanaka leave Sheriff Baca alone, you act like a spineless, back stabber. Truth is Paul if you were really unhappy you would have quit yrs ago.
Tanaka your Rant about Sheriff Baca and LASD you are mad as the truth about you is out so your on a vendeta lies, hate for Honorable Sheriff Baca and the Sheriff Dept.
Hey Paul tell the World the Truth read below he is not so innocent.
Paul Tanaka— of his involvement in the 1988 shooting death of Korean immigrant Hong Pyo Lee. Tanaka was one of five deputies who shot the 21-year-old.
People need to ask questions about Tanaka’s visit to Hawaii and why upon his return there was some kind of cover up regarding his [alleged] involvement in a domestic violence issue on the island. Start with Lennoxs station and their involvement. Voter beware of Mr. Tanaka, “Do as I say” “Not as I do”. His followers preach how he stands behind deputies, well you have seen how this philosophy has spread unaccountability throughout our department and the now consent decrees….Thanxs Tanaka
Wow two cops arrested…turn whistleblowers?
Having worked with Lt. Thompson…..he has always been a racist. It surprises me it has taken this long for behavior like this to catch up with him. His ego finally caught up with him. I hope voters see Tanaka for who he is and he who he surrounds himself with as friends ie Thompson and others. Some are in the picture during his press conference and others are hiding.