According to a new civil rights lawsuit, in October 2019, Los Angeles County Probation was again...
Facing the Inferno
Facing the Inferno, Part 3: 11 Months Later, Another Youth Facility, Another Fire, Another Trauma-Filled Disaster
One boy was in a holding cell on one of the LASD buses with 15 other boys, who reportedly taunted...
Facing the Inferno, Part 2: When Evacuation Is No Longer An Option
That same Friday, Mullen said, the Woolsey Fire killed two people “who were caught in their car...
Facing the Inferno, Part 1: Why Wasn’t LA County Probation Prepared to Evacuate Kids & Staff at Campus Kilpatrick When a Monster Wildfire Struck?
For those who know fires, the question wasn’t if a large and dangerous fire would one day...
#MeToo Behind Bars
INSIDE JOB: PREA turns 20 this year, and it urgently needs fixing
On December 8, 2022, a jury convicted the former warden of the Federal Correctional...
A total of 4 prison staff members have been charged with sexual abuse in a northern CA federal lock-up
This week James Theodore Highhouse, a corrections worker and chaplain, working at FCA Dublin, a...
No Safe Place: When LA County Probation officials got reports that a staff member sexually assaulted a teenager, why did they fail to protect her?
In mid April, 2019, a teenage girl who was a resident at LA County Probation's Central Juvenile...
Watch for an important new #MeToo Behind Bars story later this week
We have a new and disturbing story coming on Thursday of this week that is part of...
New sexual assault case– this time at LA County Sheriff’s Lancaster jail — to cost taxpayers $950,000
On Tuesday, May 4, 2021, the LA County Supervisors will vote on a $950,000 settlement for Michelle...
Another Victim of Former LA Sheriff’s Deputy Giancarlo Scotti Gets Payout
Last Tuesday, October 29, The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize a $325,000...
Victims Say They Feel Betrayed By Judge’s Sentence of 2 Years in Fire Camp for Former LASD Deputy Who Sexually Assaulted 6 Women in LA Jail
There is no consenting. It’s like saying a child is choosing to be molested, even though they...
#MeToo Behind Bars: Sexual Misconduct at the LA County Women’s Jail
The kind of misconduct that doesn’t make headlines is arguably as corrosive, and harder to track...
Despite Allegations of Sexual Assaults on Kids by Staff, LA Probation Youth Facilities Are Still Failing Federal PREA Standards
In 2018, 13 young people filed official complaints alleging sexual assault or sexual abuse by a...
#MeToo Behind Bars: How Federal Investigators Are Ignoring Prison Sexual Assaults They Are Hired to Report
"“We see audit reports where it seems like the auditors have not done even the most basic...
#MeToo Behind Bars: Did the LA Sheriff’s Dept. Have Early Evidence That A Jail Deputy Was Sexually Abusing Women?
As the firing of CBS chief executive Les Moonves in the wake of another round assault and...
#MeToo Behind Bars: Will Proposed $1 Million Settlement on Case of Alleged Sexual Assault of Girl by LA County Juvenile Probation Officer Help Push Department Reform?
Last September, Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officer, Oscar David Calderon Jr., then 33, was...
#MeToo Behind Bars: Audit Says Inmates at Risk for Sexual Abuse in LA Women’s Jail Where Deputy Was Accused of Sexually Assaulting Six Inmates
In February of this year, a Los Angeles County Deputy named Giancarlo Scotti, who was working at...
#MeToo Behind Bars: Snitches Get Stitches: Can Kids Safely Report Abuse in LA County Lockups?
For the young people in Los Angeles County’s 12 juvenile camps, 3 juvenile halls, and one...
Lawsuit Alleges LA County Probation Staffers Knew Fellow Officer Was Sexually Assaulting Girl in Youth Camp
Former Los Angeles County probation officer, Oscar David Calderon Jr., 33, was sentenced Wednesday...
The LASD's Deputy Gang Problem
Former LASD Deputy Cleared of Criminal Charges in Killing of Andrés Guardado Is Charged by Feds With Falsely Imprisoning a Skateboarder
Miguel Vega, the former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy who shot 18-year-old Andrés Guardado...
Retired LASD Chief confirms Villanueva obstructed investigation into 2018 assault by Bandito shot-callers
In a sworn declaration, retired LASD Chief Matthew Burson described having been an unwitting part...
LA County Supes Approve $3.9 Million Settlement for the Family of Ryan Twyman, After Deputies Shot 34 Bullets Into His Car
On June 6, 2019, two Los Angeles County deputies fired nearly three dozen rounds into a white Kia...
Why Did the LA’s District Attorney’s Office Fail to Bring Charges Against Suspects in the Sheriff’s Bandito Assault Case? (The Problematic LASD Investigation Didn’t Help, Says a New Report)
Why did the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office fail to bring charges against any of the...
The Executioners: Does a Violent Deputy Gang Rule LA County’s Compton Station?
In a new legal claim, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy describes how the Compton Sheriff’s...
Measure R: Codifies Subpoena Power for LASD Civilian Oversight Commission, and Requires Jail Population Reduction Plan
On March 3, and during the preceding early voting days, Los Angeles voters will decide whether to...
Harassment of Grieving Families Is More a Problem of LASD Management and Policy Than Individual Deputies, Says Inspector General
"I hope that the Sheriff's policy goes into effect soon, I hope that it is enthusiastically...
What Is the LA County Sheriff’s Department Doing About Its Big, Bad Deputy Gang Problem?
The report that members of a deputy clique within the East LA station of the Los Angeles County...
Members of Deputy “Gang” Reportedly Put Other LA County Sheriff’s Deputies in Hospital After Off-Duty Brawl
In the wee hours of last Thursday night, September 27—or technically September 28, as it...
Follow the Money
The Newly-Introduced Promyse Act Aims to Make Sure a Big Pile of State $$ Gets to Effective Youth Programs, Not Law Enforcement
Last Wednesday, February 17, Senator Steven Bradford introduced Senate Bill 493, The PROMYSE...
Historic Vote to Direct $$ Millions in State Funding to LA’s Community-Based Youth Programs
On Monday, at an unexpectedly-packed meeting held at the City of Carson Community Center, the...
Fed Up With Probation’s Ongoing Failure to Spend Juvenile Justice $ Millions on Proven Programs for LA County’s Kids, the Supes Make a Radical Move
On Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a new...
CA Lawmaker Threatens to Audit LA County Probation’s Use of State $$ for At-Risk Kids
California Assemblymember Raul Bocanegra wants answers about the way the Los Angeles County...
CA Lawmaker Wants Answers Re: Wrongly Spent & Strangely Hoarded Millions $$ Meant for LA’s At Risk Kids
On August 16, California Assemblymember Raul Bocanegra sent a tersely-worded letter requesting an...
LA County Puts Thousands of Kids on “Voluntary” Probation for Merely Struggling With School
LA County’s Problematic Probation Lite by Sara Kravoy Marbella Munoz was a foster child for most...
WItnessLA is on KCRW 89.9 FM with Warren Olney & LA County Probation Chief Terri McDonald Talking About Probation’s Crazy Caches of $$….and More
On Thursday evening, I was on KCRW’s weekly news segment called Olney in LA, which...
LA County Probation Is Hoarding $204.3 Million Earmarked for Programs to Help Adults & Kids—& Sup. Ridley-Thomas Is NOT Pleased
It was bad before, and now it’s worse Los Angeles County Probation is hoarding money again...
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Why is LA County Probation Spending $400K Yearly on a Youth Diversion Program Serving Zero Kids?
Number of “At Risk” Kids of LA County Served For $397,071? Zero In January of 2015, the...
FOLLOW THE MONEY: Who Makes the Decisions About How to Spend LA’s Juvenile Justice Millions?
FOLLOW THE MONEY There are various large pots of state and national dollars that are funneled to...
Beating Children
#MeToo Behind Bars: Snitches Get Stitches: Can Kids Safely Report Abuse in LA County Lockups?
For the young people in Los Angeles County’s 12 juvenile camps, 3 juvenile halls, and one...
1. Teenager at LA County Probation’s Sylmar Juvenile Hall Beaten on Video by Four Probation Officers as Supervisor Watches
THE BEATDOWN On April 24, four Los Angeles County probation officers allegedly beat a non-combative...
2. A Disturbing Report of Another Assault of a Teenager by a Los Angeles County Probation Staffer
On May 31 of this year, another incident of alleged abuse of a teenage probationer by Los Angeles...
3. LA County Supes Vote to Investigate Abuse Allegations Within Juvenile Lock-Ups
4. Is There a Kid-Battering Subculture Inside LA County’s Juvenile Facilities?
5. New Account Surfaces of Alleged Physical Abuse of a 16-Year-Old by LA County Probation Staff
BEATING CHILDREN: Four L.A. County Probation Staff to Be Fired for Assault of Teenager in Central Juvenile Hall
BEATING KIDS: Three LA County Probation Staff Charged in Beating of Boy on Video at Sylmar Juvenile Hall
LA Probation Chief Says Probe Found 7 Other Force Incidents Against Kids, But Are There More?
Lawsuit Alleges LA County Probation Staffers Knew Fellow Officer Was Sexually Assaulting Girl in Youth Camp
Probation Officials Report Spike in Force in LA County’s Juvenile Halls
Supes Meeting: Addressing Juvenile Hall Beating, Transforming a Girls’ Probation Camp, and Placing an Animal Shelter in a Jail
Aero Bureau Noir
WitnessLA Wins 2nd Place Prize for Online Investigative Journalism at Sunday’s LA Press Club Awards!
We were very surprised when WitnessLA was awarded 2nd place in the unusually competitive...
AERO BUREAU NOIR, Part III: Enter the Feds
In Part I and Part II of Aero Bureau Noir, WitnessLA’s 3-part investigation into alleged...
AERO BUREAU NOIR, Part II: The Magical Data Plate Switch
In Part I of Aero Bureau Noir, WitnessLA’s 3-part investigation into alleged wrongdoing in the...
AERO BUREAU NOIR: The Strange Case of the LASD’s Missing Helicopter Engines
Misconduct and brutality at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has resulted in criminal...
Dangerous Jails
Is it time for the feds to investigate wrongdoing in the LA County’s jails—again?
On December 9, 2013, slightly more than a decade from today, the The U.S. Attorney’s Office...
LA Supes Reorganize Men’s Central Jail Closure Efforts
On Tuesday, April 9, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion to move the...
LA County’s Dangerous Jails: the Death List
Witnessla gets calls from sources inside LA County’s jail system. for a variety of reasons. They...
Head strikes in LA County Jail & the power of independent journalism
LA’s dangerous and abuse-ridden Men’s Central Jail sees three more deaths in a single week
Former Sheriff’s Deputy Convicted for Lying About Beating of LA Jail Visitor & Why It’s a Big Deal
The Cost of Dangerous Jails: Two More High Ticket Payouts for LA County Jail Deaths
LASD INVESTIGATIONS, Part 5 – Pay to Play: Does the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department have an unofficial quid pro quo promotion system? – by Matthew Fleischer
LASD INVESTIGATIONS: Dangerous Jails, Part 4: INTERNAL AFFAIRS – by Matt Fleischer
Dangerous Jails, Part 3: THE PRINCE – by Matt Fleischer
DANGEROUS JAILS, Part 2: Ignoring the Warnings – by Matt Fleischer
DANGEROUS JAILS: Part 1 – by Matthew Fleischer
Pandora's Box
Judge Tosses Convicted Sergeant’s Lawsuit Blaming Former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca for Her Legal Woes
On Tuesday July 1, 2014, former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s sergeant Maricela Long, and...
LA Sheriff’s Sergeant Convicted in Obstruction of Justice Case Asks to Be Sent Home from Prison for Treatment of Stage 3 Cancer
On September 23, 2014, Scott Craig, a former sergeant in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s...
Witness Against Former Sheriff Lee Baca Gets 9-Month Sentence
Cooperation Versis Obstruction On Monday morning, William “Tom” Carey, 58, a former...
Former LA Sheriff’s Deputy Sexton Expected to be Pivotal Witness in Retrial of Lee Baca
Former LA County Sheriff’s Deputy Sexton to Be Released From Prison in Surprise Decision
BEGGING TO GO TO PRISON: Former LA County Sheriff’s Deputy Wants to Begin His Federal Prison Term Right Away—If He Can Get Past the Bureaucratic Obstacles
9th Circuit Hears Appeal Arguments for 7 Former LA Sheriff’s Deputies – UPDATED
LASD Deputy James Sexton Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison
LA County Sheriff’s Department 6 Sentenced: Terms Range From 21 Months to 41 Months
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy James Sexton is Convicted
Deputy James Sexton Trial, Day 4: Should the Prosecution Be Able to Edit Testimony?
OPERATION PANDORA’S BOX: THE JURY SPEAKS: Six Guilty On All Counts – What the LASD Verdict Means
LASD Obstruction of Justice Trial: Closing Arguments, Part 2
LASD Obstruction of Justice Trial – Closing Arguments: Part 1
OPERATION PANDORA’S BOX ON TRIAL: As the Complicated LASD Obstruction of Justice Trial Speeds to a close, Some Additional Back Story
OPERATION PANDORA’S BOX GOES TO TRIAL: LASD Lt. Tells of Orders Given by Baca and Tanaka, and Admits to “System Failure” Re: LASD Ability to Investigate Its Own Wrongdoing
PANDORA’S BOX GOES TO TRIAL: Is Paul Tanaka the “Subject” of a Criminal Investigation….or the “Target”
OPERATION PANDORA’S BOX GOES TO TRIAL: The Significance of Paul Tanaka Testimony at 2nd LASD Obstruction of Justice Trial
OPERATION PANDORA’S BOX GOES TO TRIAL: Opening Arguments, LASD Fed Obstruction of Justice Trial, Round 2
PANDORA’S BOX: Sexton Trial Day 4: Tanaka Takes the Stand
PANDORA’S BOX: Sexton Trial Day 3: Lee Baca Personally Signed Off on Massive Overtime Hours for Deputies Hiding Brown
Pandora’s Box: the Sexton Obstruction of Justice Trial Continues, Tanaka Drops F-Bombs, Baca Unlikely to Testify
First Pandora’s Box Trial Begins: The Big Q: Who Called the Shots?
3 Indicted Deputies Say Baca & Tanaka Gave Orders to Hide Informant Anthony Brown—& Other LASD Deputies Smuggled in Drugs for Sales in LA Jails
Does a Newly Surfaced E-Mail Tie Paul Tanaka to the FBI’s Obstruction of Justice Case….& More
LASD Obstruction of Justice Defendants Go to Court…One Whistleblower Among Those Indicted
FEDS HAND DOWN 18 CRIMINAL INDICTMENTS AGAINST SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT MEMBERS, WORKING & RETIRED
OPERATION PANDORA’S BOX: Will Hiding a Federal Informant Result in Criminal Indictments for Members of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department?
BETRAYAL OF TRUST – Two Sheriff’s Deputies, Sons of Cop Fathers, Sue LASD for Threats, Retaliation, Conspiracy & More