LOS ANGELES – A judge has continued the case in a lawsuit about deputy gangs in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department until January.
The court minute order from today’s hearing indicates the petitioner, Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff’s will be taking discovery and are due back in court on Jan. 16.
“Discovery shall be completed by next hearing date.”
This motion follows a 42-page ruling in July when a civil court judge effectively blocked the county watchdog from thoroughly investigating deputy gangs that operate within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The ongoing lawsuit is over whether suspected members of deputy gangs can be forced to answer questions and show their tattoos to county oversight investigators.
Sheriff Robert Luna indicated he had a list of 41 names of deputies allegedly belonging to a deputy gang that was presumably supplied by Inspector General Max Huntsman.
Huntsman said his office compiled a partial list that includes 11 deputies who allegedly belong to the Banditos, which operate out of the East L.A. sheriff’s station, and 30 alleged Executioners from the Compton sheriff’s station.
In May, Huntsman sent notices to 35 deputies asking them to come in and answer questions related to his investigation and to show their tattoos and give up the names of any other deputies with body art linking them to either the Banditos or Executioners.
Huntsman’s letter indicated that their failure to cooperate could affect their employment.
