What the officers did worthy of a demotion? Yes. Even in the private sector, people would get punished. Does this justify days off? Yes. Were the officers racist? Most likely no, they are not. Officer Randall McCain testified in cross examination that Officer Earl Wright, also a black person, participated in this frivolity and McCain was punished. Still, according to the LAPD, racism, even in jest, could result in punishment. But if that were the case, should not the punishment be meted out to all the officers? Three of the four officers were demoted and transferred out, while the sergeant was fired. Should not then the other officers be fired too?
Or is punishment based upon rank?
And that's why Chief Charlie Beck who was responsible for Rampart CRASH during the Rampart scandal was never fired. Why is he chief? Why were 70 officers accused of wrongdoing and only 24 were actually found to have committed any wrongdoing, with 12 given suspensions of various lengths, 7 forced to resign or retire, and 5 fired which cost the city an estimated $125 million in settlements?
Of the 70, was Charlie Beck included? Nope.
This is what Christopher Dorner was talking about. The same people who fired him are on a different tier of justice. If you're on the command staff, you are immune from prosecution. Why do you think that the command staff was nervous and still are? Because not only was Dorner out for vengeance, but after more stories started to come out, the people were asking questions. Los Angeles also threw around the idea that we as taxpayers would pay for any costs incurred from the crime committed by the disgraced officer.
Still, why is the media not looking upwards? Look towards the Los Angeles Mayor's Office too. Again according to sources close to the calamity, the command staff is trying to deflect any responsibility of accountability upon the rank-and-file, as they did with Rodney King, Rampart and now, a bunch of officers who were goofing around. Even McCain said during cross examination that the reason why Wright was stressed because of his high blood pressure and bankruptcy (that's official court records). And public records also states that Officer Michael Fernandez who also filed harassment and racism charges, said that Foster never told Wright, while in the vehicle together, to lie to the captain regarding the photo via a text message and to hide the evidence, according to official records and under oath from Internal Affairs and the Board of Rights hearing, but stated in court, he heard Foster make the statement. Which is it? And why didn't the LAPD command staff question this?
Apparently, the history of corruption within the LAPD command staff is unraveling and the culture of the Good Ol' Boys is coming to an end. When former Chief William Parker cleaned house, corruption ended. But since the autonomy of the LAPD was voted away, the Mayor's office who is now ran by major campaign donors, the Mayor has at his disposal the power to do as he please...which includes protecting the banker donors. LAPD came so close to making arrests, which it had to end. So what is the mood of the LAPD officers? They want the bankers to go to jail, as many of them are either underwater or lost their homes.
The Spirit of Dorner is still going strong and I see changes looming.
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