LA wants cop jailed, but the DA is protecting the racists by citing the law
| Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman |
By Frederick H. Lowe Daniel Flores, a Los Angeles cop who has been suspended, has kicked open the “Blue Wall of Silence” that cops who are dirty and violent hide behind, and he is paying for it. Flores is charged with 16 felony counts of eavesdropping on or recording confidential communications. He is facing 13 years in jail for recording conversations without the knowledge of fellow officers whose comments are both racist and homophobic. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 10 at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. It’s not known if the cops who made racist and homophobic comments are still working at the police department or if the arrests they have made in the past have been reviewed for racism. This case serves as a warning to anyone seeking to record a conversation without the other person’s permission, given that “doing so is illegal and has been a crime in the state of California for over 50 years,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman. “It doesn’t matter where you work or who you are – a neighbor, a coworker or, in this case, a police officer. Your right to privacy in a confidential conversation is protected, no matter who is doing the recording or, with few exceptions, why they are doing the recording. For those illegal eavesdroppers, please know that my office will prosecute them for their actions surreptitiously recording others.” During 2024, Flores allegedly submitted about 90 recordings to the LAPD’s internal affairs department. An administrative investigation by the LAPD found him guilty of policy violations and recommended a 22-day suspension without pay, Flores’ civil attorney, Greg Smith, told the LA Times. Disciplinary action has not yet been finalized. Flores recorded colleagues who were responsible for determining which candidates the LAPD could hire. Flores is accused of taking the action without the permission of those who were recorded. Some of the conversations allegedly included sexist, homophobic, and racist remarks. District Attorney Hochman stated: “We deplore the sexist, homophobic, and racist remarks made by certain LAPD employees, and they should be held accountable for such statements. However, in our all-party consent state, where California has been one of the nation’s leaders in protecting privacy and deterring illegal eavesdropping for over half a century, one cannot simply choose to break the law because one wants to pursue a personal agenda. The options are not break the law or do nothing. One can address important issues by going through the proper legal channels. If one chooses a law-breaking path instead, then the consequences will be straightforward and significant.”If convicted as charged, Flores faces up to 13 years in state prison.The case is being prosecuted by the Justice System Integrity Division and remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. To review District Attorney Hochman’s comments, click on the link: https://youtube.com/shorts/Jd_Pc-bmYW8The charges filed in this case are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. |