Opposition Sheriff Alex Vilanueva used a press conference today to blow up his various opponents, both political and perceived, including his opponent Eli Vera, Inspector General Max Huntsman, and Los Angeles Times reporter Alain Chekmedian. of which they spread the word. Handcuffed prisoner. Vilanueva said today that the article was potentially based on information stolen from the department. He listed six potential crimes, including robbery, break-in and conspiracy.
He escalated the presentation with a zoomed-in photo of the reporter, since law enforcement is not used to explaining cases to suspects.
Asked by the media today if he was being investigated by Chekmedian, Vilanueva vaguely said: “The case is under investigation.”
Another reporter clicked: “You posted a picture of him there… and you talked about it in terms of a criminal investigation. Is this Los Angeles Times reporter under investigation?
The sheriff replied: “The act is under investigation. All parties involved in the incident are being investigated.”
He called the article part of a “click bait” and “part of the LA Times bestseller list.”
At an extraordinary moment, Los Angeles accomplice Alex Vilanueva revealed that the LASD was investigating his political opponent. @ Vera4sheriffInspector General and LA Times reporter @AleneTchekAfter the video was released, he was unmasked by an MP kneeling over a handcuffed prisoner. @ SpecNews1SoCal pic.twitter.com/D7sTgBeEvc
-Kate Kegle (@KateCagle) April 26, 2022
Los Angeles Times CEO Kevin Merida released a statement calling the sheriff’s comments “outrageous.”
“Sheriff Alex Vilanueva’s attack on Alain Chekmedian’s first amendment rights for doing decent reporting on a video showing a lawmaker kneeling and handcuffing an inmate is outrageous,” Merida said. “Your attempt to criminalize news coverage goes against well-established constitutional law. We vigorously defend the rights of Chekmedian and the Los Angeles Times in any legal proceeding or investigation initiated by the authorities.
The paper followed the letter Jeff Glaser, general councilor of Villanueva, was sent late today. In it, Glaser sets a legal precedent banning such an investigation by a reporter, calling the move “an unintended attempt to intimidate Ms. Chekmediani by disseminating unfavorable (but completely accurate) information about the behavior and allegations of people in her department. From you and other officials “.
The @latimes It also has lawyers.https: //t.co/RaCJ6iobjL
-Paul Thornton (@PaulMThornton) April 27, 2022
Late today, the bailiff moved a little away from ambiguity, posting a denial on social media that reads in part:
Due to the unbelievable folly of spreading disinformation, I have to clarify, I never said today that an LA Times reporter was a suspect in a criminal investigation. We have no interest in or are pursuing criminal charges against any journalist.
Due to the unbelievable folly of spreading disinformation, I have to clarify, I never said today that an LA Times reporter was a suspect in a criminal investigation. We have no interest in or are pursuing criminal charges against any journalist. pic.twitter.com/4N7Y8TToxt
– Los Angeles County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) April 27, 2022
However, earlier in the day, Villanueva also approached allegations of collusion between several players to stop her bid for re-election.
“When you put all of this into context, you realize that a lot of people are working together and in coordination,” he said. This includes the LA Times. This includes people who obviously want to defeat me electronically. This includes [Board of Supervisors]- Appointed Inspector General e [Civilian] Supervisory Board. A lot of people work overtime and do their best, so before June 7th they throw this nonsense at me, but it’s true. “
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis released a statement saying she asked the Attorney General to investigate Villanueva for “a pattern of unscrupulous and dangerous actions as it stands today,” suggesting the sheriff’s penchant for persuading the country With political enemies.
“The recent attack on LA Times reporter Alain Chekmedian is another dangerous example of Sheriff Vilanueva’s attack on the media and the First Amendment,” Solis said. “This coincides with his previous harassment of other women, including KPCC reporter Josie Huang, as well as myself and other officials in the country.
“Showing a photo of Allen at today’s press conference and presenting him as if he had committed a crime is not just an attack on Allen, but on the entire news community. It is criminal for the sheriff to cover deputies by using excessive force against the prisoner, including kneeling on the neck for three minutes. However, what’s not criminal is that Allen and other reporters talk about it.
Los Angeles Times reporter Alain Chekmedian and all reporters who have been threatened or harassed by law enforcement have released their statement to the LA Press Club.
It was signed by the Press Club and 20 other media-related organizations.
We support other media organizations and supporters. @AleneTchek For @LATimes And all the reporters were threatened / harassed by the police, including @cerisecastle @josie_huang @mayalau & other. Full declaration: pic.twitter.com/DBM2M0ocYL
– LA Press Club (@LAPressClub) April 27, 2022
Earlier in the day, Villanueva denied all allegations contained in the lawsuit against the country this week by one of his commanders, claiming that the sheriff was informed of the incident to a handcuffed prisoner a few days after the incident and lying when he claimed that I didn’t. . Watch the video of the fight months later.
The sheriff on Tuesday criticized the indictment as part of an orchestrated attack involving an electoral rival, the county inspector general and even a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, and said he was conducting a criminal investigation to determine who posted the surveillance video of the reporter. To argue.
“So, the basis of this whole cause [claim] “That’s a lie,” the sheriff said. “Everything in this dress is fake.”
In a lawsuit for damages, which is the precursor of the cause, Cmdr. Alain Castellano says Vilanueva and at least three other agency heads saw the surveillance videos after the incident on March 10, 2021, with the sheriff saying he would “take care of the problem” and noting that the department “didn’t need to. bad media “. “. “This time. Castellano said concern over the video of the fight, its resemblance to the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, sparked a national protest.
The controversy, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, took place in a San Fernando courtroom, where a 24-year-old inmate named Enzo Escalante allegedly punched Deputy Sheriff Douglas Johnson in the face. Johnson and other lawmakers grabbed the escalator on the ground and Johnson put one knee on the prisoner’s head.
Security video from the fight shows Johnson kneeling on Escalante’s head for three minutes after he was handcuffed and he didn’t seem to be resisting.
Officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office tried to cover up the incident, in which a lawmaker knelt over a handcuffed prisoner for three minutes fearing that a “negative light” might illuminate the department. https://t.co/sPAeJw7CoP pic.twitter.com/XoGNXmvll9
– Los Angeles Times (@latimes) March 26, 2022
After the incident, Castellano wrote an internal report suggesting that department officials were trying to crack down on the details of the confrontation and a video, “given its nature and similarity, which was widely circulated.
“George Floyd used force.”
In his new lawsuit, Castellano claims Villanueva attempted to hide the video and then retaliated against people in the department who questioned the attempt or protested.
What the commander called the sheriff’s attempt to change the timeline when he first saw the video.
Vilanueva denied last month that she was involved in any kind of cover-up and insisted she didn’t see the video until November, when she immediately issued a removal order for the deputy involved and launched a criminal investigation.
The sheriff acknowledged that an internal criminal investigation should have started immediately after the incident, parallel to the administrative investigation, but this did not happen, which he attributes to the department’s errors in judging others.
Vilanueva reiterated those timelines on Tuesday, once again denying any cover-up or retaliation.
“When it comes to cover-ups or whistleblowers, I don’t see what was covered up or what the whistle is, because it’s a secret,” he said.
District Sheriff Tim Murakami, who claims to have seen the video just days after the March 2021 incident, also denied the allegations.
Vilanueva called Castellano a “dissatisfied employee”.
Castellano argues that in the compensation claim, despite the sheriff’s claim that the officer involved was fired in November, this did not happen until December 7. On the matter and scolded him for the mistake of the case, despite his insistence that the case be forwarded to the sheriff within a few days.
Vera, a 33-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, released a statement on Monday in support of Castellano’s version of events.
“As the person who reported this truth to the Inspector General, I am outraged that Vilanueva has proven her lies twice to cover up her criminal activities,” said Vera.
The City News Service contributed to this report.
Source: Deadline
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
