A judge has ordered the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to delete photographs of legal documents that were allegedly taken during an unannounced raid on the home of an attorney representing a prominent Black Lives Matter activist. The incident has raised concerns about potential violations of attorney-client privilege and intimidation of individuals involved in civil rights cases against the department.
The attorney, Dermot Givens, described how a group of approximately twelve LAPD officers arrived at his townhouse on Tuesday, forcing him to remain outside as they carried out a search warrant. Upon returning inside, Givens claimed to have witnessed an officer taking photographs of documents on his kitchen table, which were related to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Melina Abdullah, the co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter.
Abdullah's lawsuit, filed in 2020, alleges that her civil rights were violated when officers, responding to a false hostage situation call, forcibly evicted her from her home at gunpoint. The documents photographed by the police reportedly contained portions of Givens' case file and potentially privileged attorney work product, according to a court application seeking the destruction or return of the materials and a copy of the warrant used for the search.
In response to the request, Judge Rupert Byrdsong granted the motion to have the photographs deleted. However, as of Saturday, Givens had not received any confirmation or information about the warrant from the LAPD.
The police department, acknowledging the incident, stated that an internal investigation is underway but declined to provide further details. Captain Kelly Muniz, a spokesperson for the LAPD, confirmed that this is both an open criminal investigation and an internal affairs investigation.
Givens stated that the police claimed to be searching for a young man named Tyler based on a GPS tracker located near his home. However, Givens, who has been residing in the house for over twenty years, asserted that he did not know anyone matching that description. He described the search as an invasion of his privacy, with officers thoroughly searching his home, including emptying drawers, opening his safe, and rifling through his briefcase.
Givens believes this incident is another instance of harassment by the LAPD due to his work representing clients who are suing the department. He claims that the police are well aware of his identity and whereabouts, contradicting any suggestion that they did not know who he was.
One of Givens' current clients is Melina Abdullah, who is suing the LAPD for their response to a 'swatting incident' at her home in 2020. During this incident, officers surrounded her house and ordered her and her children to come outside through a loudspeaker. Abdullah alleges that the police used the prank call as an excuse to intimidate her for her role in organizing protests following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
The LAPD has refrained from commenting on the officers' actions at Abdullah's home, citing the ongoing litigation surrounding the incident. This recent raid raises concerns about potential misconduct, violation of attorney-client privilege, and the targeting of individuals involved in civil rights cases against the department. The outcome of the internal and criminal investigations will be determining factors regarding the accountability and transparency of the LAPD in this matter.
