L.A. County Settles Cavity Search Claim for $1.75M

L.A. County Settles Cavity Search Claim for $1.75M

Introduction

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has agreed to a $1.75 million settlement with a woman from Pico Rivera who accused sheriff's deputies of conducting two unlawful cavity searches while searching for drugs. The woman filed the lawsuit in 2018 and went to trial in 2022, but both parties decided to settle before the jury rendered a verdict. The allegations involved an incident in 2017 when deputies, along with a probation officer, executed a search warrant at a residence in Pico Rivera. Several people, including the woman and her two young children, were present. According to the lawsuit, deputies threatened the woman with a cavity search if she didn't agree voluntarily. A female deputy allegedly performed the search twice, first using her hands and then with an "unknown object," resulting in a bleeding injury. Despite the substantial settlement, one of the woman's attorneys expressed dismay that the county did not take disciplinary action against the involved employees. He stated that the deputies should have faced criminal charges, emphasizing his belief in the severity of the incident. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department clarified that the deputies implicated in the lawsuit were not terminated, and the department rejected any liability during the trial. In an official statement, the department maintained that a settlement doesn't constitute an admission of liability but helps avoid the significant costs and time associated with prolonged litigation.The probation department, which had an officer present during the searches, chose not to comment, and attempts to reach the involved deputies were unsuccessful. In their incident report, the deputies claimed the woman was uncooperative and suggested she might be hiding contraband. They admitted discussing the possibility of a cavity search but denied conducting one. The deputies alleged finding drug-related items in the woman's possession, leading to her arrest. However, it was only after her booking that another deputy noticed her injuries and arranged for medical care. The woman filed lawsuits in both state and federal courts, with her legal team dropping the federal case and proceeding to trial in state court. The county faced allegations of negligence, assault and battery, unreasonable search and seizure, and unconstitutional practices. The settlement was approved by the Board of Supervisors, and the case is set to be formally dismissed in court in the coming month.