LOS ANGELES – A Black Los Angeles County sheriff’s lieutenant has dropped his lawsuit in which he alleged he was wrongfully demoted by former Sheriff Alex Villanueva in 2021, two days after being elevated to a coveted position.
Attorneys for Lt. John Lindsay filed court papers on July 12 with Judge Daniel Murphy asking that the case be dismissed “with prejudice,” meaning it can’t be refiled. The court papers do not state whether a settlement was reached or if Lindsay is not pursuing the case for other reasons.
The suit alleged discrimination, retaliation and failure to prevent harassment, discrimination or retaliation. Lindsay maintained that under Villanueva’s leadership, the LASD had “engaged in systemic racial discrimination against African-Americans by decreasing the number of African- American employees to accommodate an increase in Hispanic applicants and promotional candidates in the department.”
In a previously issued statement, the LASD rejected Lindsay’s claims, calling the complaint “yet another frivolous lawsuit” and likening his allegations to those of other department members who have “failed” in their leadership duties.
“The allegations by Mr. Lindsey are completely without merit and we look forward to exposing this in court,” the statement read.
But according to Lindsay’s suit, Villanueva “made it clear in public statements that he harbors a racial animus towards African-Americans, engaging in racist generalizations about African-Americans, having cast blame upon African-Americans within the department for allegedly interfering with his promotability in a lawsuit he filed against his own department.”
Villanueva, saying he wanted to “mirror the communities of Los Angeles County,” directed recruitment, hiring and promotional efforts that “materially lowered the number of African-American employees while raising the number of Hispanic employees on the department,” the suit filed last Oct. 31 alleged.
According to his suit, Lindsay has worked in custody and patrol duty as well as in community-oriented policing. As a lieutenant, he has been the Civic Center liaison supervising tactical planning and logistics for large- scale events and protests in the downtown Los Angeles area, the suit stated.
Lindsay was picked in January 2021 by then-Undersheriff Timothy Murakami for the position of executive aide, a highly desirable and promotable position, the suit stated. Two days later, Villanueva, while in Murakami’s office, allegedly looked at Lindsay and said, “So you’re the new guy,” the suit further stated.
Immediately after Villanueva left the office, Murakami told Lindsay that he was being demoted to his previous position, according to the suit. Murakami was unable to provide an explanation, saying it was out of his hands, but that he admired the plaintiff’s work performance, according to the suit.
The suit further stated that Lindsay’s replacement was not Black and lacked Lindsay’s education and experience.
Subsequent to Lindsay’s demotion, Villanueva denied the plaintiff multiple promotions in the Court Services Division for which he was well- suited, instead promoting Latinos who had “zero knowledge” of division operating procedures, according to the suit.
