A lawsuit has been filed against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) by Black Lives Matter and the Community Coalition of South Los Angeles over violent tactics employed during traffic stops involving suspected stolen vehicles.
The legal action was announced by members of these organizations outside LAPD headquarters on the morning of Dec. 19.
The lawsuit seeks to address broader issues related to police conduct during traffic stops, emphasizing the need for reform and accountability within the LAPD.
Leslie Johnson, a representative of the Community Coalition, emphasized that the case provides an opportunity to address the longstanding issue of police violence, particularly in the context of traffic stops. Attorney Rebecca Brown, representing Black Lives Matter and the Community Coaliti
on, stated the objective is to halt the LAPD’s alleged unconstitutional policy of conducting violent and traumatic traffic stops based on information from police databases suggesting a vehicle might be stolen.Plaintiffs Sheilanne “Shona” Sen and Shibani Balsaver claim that in February 2020 at least 10 officers pulled guns on them and pinned them to the ground after mistakenly identifying their U-Haul truck as a stolen vehicle in Los Feliz. “I was sure I was going to die,” said Sen, who shared how her trust in the police is now shattered.
Brown, referring to LAPD statistics, said approximately three-quarters of suspected stolen vehicle stops do not involve stolen vehicles. She cited a 2014 ruling by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, stating that LAPD tactics violated the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment.
“As this is a matter of ongoing litigation, we will respond to these allegations in the appropriate setting,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore said.
Moore said the department’s tactics are constitutional and aimed at ensuring the safety of everyone involved in such incidents.
“I was treated as less than human that day. I was made to feel that my life had no value,” Sen said.