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http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/011805_nw_police_settlement.html
LOS ANGELES A jury awarded a total of $2.4 million today to former Inglewood police officers Jeremy Morse and Bijan Darvish over discipline they received for the videotaped beating of a black teen.
Morse -- tried twice on felony charges filed over the July 2002 incident, with a jury deadlocking both times and prosecutors eventually dismissing the case -- alleged he was treated unfairly when he was terminated from the city's police force.
Darvish, his former partner, was acquitted of filing a false police report in connection with the incident. The officer -- who still works for the city police department, according to his attorney -- claimed his 10-day suspension was excessive.
Morse was awarded $1.6 million, while his former partner was awarded $811,000, lawyer Gregory Smith said.
The incident occurred July 6, 2002 when Morse and Darvish subdued the teenager during an arrest at an Inglewood gas station.
Darvish was suspended for failing to report the misconduct of his partner, who was spotted on tape slamming teenager Donovan Jackson against a patrol car.
Last February, an independent arbitrator released a report exonerating Darvish and recommending that the city pay him back wages for his 10-day suspension.
The arbitrator wrote that he viewed the tape several times and determined that "in real-life speed, it would have been impossible for anyone to see whether Morse's hand or right forearm was placed on or across the front of Jackson's neck."
Attorney Gregory Smith said the Los Angeles Superior Court jury -- which deliberated about a day in the case -- "did the right thing."
He said when the jurors initially were questioned about their knowledge of the incident, they had negative feelings about Morse and what occurred -- feelings based on video clips widely shown on news broadcasts. Smith said those feelings changed after the jurors heard the two officers' side of what took place.
"It was the first time anybody had heard their story about what happened," Smith said.
Attorney Paul Coble, who represented Inglewood in the case, said he believed the jurors seemed to focus on whether the discipline Morse and Darvish received "was fair, when the legal description provided by the judge was whether or not the action was based on race."
Coble said the plaintiffs stressed that another black officer at the scene of the incident received a suspension half as long as Darvish's. He said the city police chief explained the lighter suspension was issued because that officer was still in his probationary period.
"It leaves one scratching one's head as to how the (punishment) of the city could have been so unfair ... when the Los Angeles County grand jury returned two felony indictments" based on the same conduct, Coble added.
He said he will meet with the City Council next week to discuss options for proceeding with the case, which could include an appeal or a request that the judge reduce the awards.
A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against both men, and the U.S. Attorney's Office has said it is looking into whether federal civil rights charges should be filed against the officers involved.
LOS ANGELES A jury awarded a total of $2.4 million today to former Inglewood police officers Jeremy Morse and Bijan Darvish over discipline they received for the videotaped beating of a black teen.
Morse -- tried twice on felony charges filed over the July 2002 incident, with a jury deadlocking both times and prosecutors eventually dismissing the case -- alleged he was treated unfairly when he was terminated from the city's police force.
Darvish, his former partner, was acquitted of filing a false police report in connection with the incident. The officer -- who still works for the city police department, according to his attorney -- claimed his 10-day suspension was excessive.
Morse was awarded $1.6 million, while his former partner was awarded $811,000, lawyer Gregory Smith said.
The incident occurred July 6, 2002 when Morse and Darvish subdued the teenager during an arrest at an Inglewood gas station.
Darvish was suspended for failing to report the misconduct of his partner, who was spotted on tape slamming teenager Donovan Jackson against a patrol car.
Last February, an independent arbitrator released a report exonerating Darvish and recommending that the city pay him back wages for his 10-day suspension.
The arbitrator wrote that he viewed the tape several times and determined that "in real-life speed, it would have been impossible for anyone to see whether Morse's hand or right forearm was placed on or across the front of Jackson's neck."
Attorney Gregory Smith said the Los Angeles Superior Court jury -- which deliberated about a day in the case -- "did the right thing."
He said when the jurors initially were questioned about their knowledge of the incident, they had negative feelings about Morse and what occurred -- feelings based on video clips widely shown on news broadcasts. Smith said those feelings changed after the jurors heard the two officers' side of what took place.
"It was the first time anybody had heard their story about what happened," Smith said.
Attorney Paul Coble, who represented Inglewood in the case, said he believed the jurors seemed to focus on whether the discipline Morse and Darvish received "was fair, when the legal description provided by the judge was whether or not the action was based on race."
Coble said the plaintiffs stressed that another black officer at the scene of the incident received a suspension half as long as Darvish's. He said the city police chief explained the lighter suspension was issued because that officer was still in his probationary period.
"It leaves one scratching one's head as to how the (punishment) of the city could have been so unfair ... when the Los Angeles County grand jury returned two felony indictments" based on the same conduct, Coble added.
He said he will meet with the City Council next week to discuss options for proceeding with the case, which could include an appeal or a request that the judge reduce the awards.
A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against both men, and the U.S. Attorney's Office has said it is looking into whether federal civil rights charges should be filed against the officers involved.