A former top-ranking Los Angeles County sheriff’s official filed a authorized declare Thursday that provided the primary eyewitness account of Sheriff Alex Villanueva allegedly mendacity about his involvement in a cover-up and in addition made allegations about retaliation and different improprieties within the Sheriff’s Division.
The submitting by former Assistant Sheriff Robin Limon, as soon as one in all Villanueva’s closest advisors, alleges that she personally introduced a DVD containing a video of a deputy kneeling on a handcuffed inmate’s neck to Villanueva — and watched it with him and two others 5 days after the incident occurred.
Her account calls into query Villanueva’s declare that he realized of the March 2021 incident eight months after it occurred and took swift motion.
After The Occasions final month reported on the cover-up, Limon’s declare mentioned, Villanueva demanded that she retire or she can be demoted 4 ranks — from assistant sheriff to lieutenant.
“The explanations for the Sheriff’s misconduct had been twofold, to retaliate in opposition to the Complainant for being a whistleblower on a number of cases of unlawful and different wrongful conduct and to additional his cowl up of an extreme use of power incident,” her declare mentioned.
She selected to remain on the job. Villanueva mentioned earlier this week that Limon had taken a go away of absence.
“He’s truly framed her to make it appear like she’s the one who did the cover-up, and never himself,” mentioned Limon’s legal professional, Vincent Miller.
Villanueva didn't instantly reply to a request for remark. His chief of workers, John Satterfield, mentioned in a press release: “On account of a number of lively investigations, and two civil lawsuits, we're unable to remark additional at the moment. We stay up for presenting the details in courtroom.”
On the morning of March 10, 2021, deputies had been conducting routine searches of inmates earlier than their courtroom appearances on the San Fernando Courthouse when deputies instructed two inmates to be quiet.
Safety video obtained by The Occasions reveals Deputy Douglas Johnson strolling carefully behind inmate Enzo Escalante via a hallway earlier than ushering him towards a wall.
Escalante circled and punched Johnson within the face a number of instances. Johnson and different deputies then took Escalante to the bottom, positioning him facedown. After he was handcuffed, Johnson stored his knee on Escalante’s head for 3 minutes.
In keeping with Limon’s declare, Cmdr. Allen Castellano notified his chief of the incident shortly after it occurred, and the pair confirmed the video toLimon, who agreed to point out it to Villanueva. Limon and the others “wished the Sheriff to pay attention to this very severe matter” and that it was being referred to the Inside Prison Investigations Bureau, which investigates felony allegations in opposition to deputies.
Limon’s declare mentioned that, about 5 days after the incident, she took the video to the sheriff and two others — Undersheriff Tim Murakami and the sheriff’s aide, Anthony Blanchard.
She mentioned Villanueva even eliminated one of many supervising deputies from a promotional listing for sergeant as a result of he was being investigated administratively for failing to intervene when Johnson was pinning down the inmate.
Murakami mentioned at a information convention this week that the allegation that he noticed the video in March 2021 was false. Blanchard mentioned that “the video was by no means seen in March the best way it was introduced.”
Limon is the third individual suing over fallout from the incident. Earlier this week, Castellano, who has been essential of alleged efforts by the division to cowl up using power, accused Villanueva in a authorized declare of obstructing justice and retaliating in opposition to those that blew the whistle. And the inmate whose head was kneeled on filed a civil rights lawsuit.
Limon’s submitting additionally comprises disturbing allegations unrelated to the kneeling incident, together with particulars about Villanueva and his subordinates collaborating in political marketing campaign exercise whereas on responsibility. It alleges that Villanueva’s spouse, a retired deputy, authorized or denied promotions for Sheriff’s Division personnel and that his reelection marketing campaign supervisor, Javier Gonzalez, meddled in Sheriff’s Division contract negotiations.
When reached by telephone for remark, Vivian Villanueva referred a Occasions reporter to her legal professional. Greg Smith, an legal professional representing her, mentioned he's reviewing the declare.
Limon’s declare mentioned Villanueva instructed her that he and his spouse would choose folks for development as they noticed match as a result of she “is an excellent decide of character.” It mentioned Limon witnessed Villanueva take images of promotional lists and ship them to his spouse for approval or disapproval. Vivian Villanueva labored as a deputy for 23 years earlier than retiring in 2018.
The declare mentioned Limon pushed again in opposition to a number of promotions that Villanueva had insisted on, together with of 1 lieutenant who had been discovered responsible in administrative proceedings of sexual misconduct and one other who was the topic of a felony investigation. Each had been promoted to captain.
In one other occasion, Villanueva allegedly pressured Limon to carry again to work a brand new lieutenant who had been arrested on suspicion of home violence in Beverly Hills. Limon mentioned she argued that the division ought to wait till the felony and administrative investigations had been full.
In keeping with the declare, Villanueva dismissed her issues and mentioned that his spouse had “talked to the worker’s spouse and it was now ‘an enormous nothing.’”
Villanueva ordered Limon to carry the worker again earlier than the executive investigation was full, in keeping with the declare.
Limon described one other episode the place she was tasked with renegotiating the Sheriff’s Division’s contract with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Faculty District. Primarily based on the cuts the district requested, Limon really useful terminating the contract over issues concerning the staffing mannequin and worker security.
Villanueva initially agreed, the declare mentioned, however then modified course when marketing campaign supervisor Gonzalez took over discussions with a district board member. Villanueva despatched Limon a textual content referencing Gonzalez weighing in on the neighborhood faculty bureau, the declare mentioned.
In one other textual content to Limon, he wrote: “Till we win our re elect ppl will check us. Can I inform them you all will counter suggest and possibly set some triggers? He mentioned minimize a bit and they'll signal it,” in keeping with the declare.
In an interview Thursday, Gonzalez denied meddling, saying that he was merely “serving to alongside a dialog that appeared to have been headed towards a battle” by passing alongside info from the board member.
The declare additionally alleges that Gonzalez helped provide you with the thought to ship deputies into Venice and Hollywood, neighborhoods within the metropolis of L.A. that aren't patrolled by the Sheriff’s Division, to wash up homelessness, and that it will “assist with elevating cash for his reelection marketing campaign and safe votes.”
Gonzalez mentioned he by no means talked to the sheriff about homelessness earlier than he confirmed up in Venice final June. “I came upon about Venice while you came upon about Venice — on the TV,” he mentioned.
Limon’s declare mentioned she opposed this follow, which she felt was “depleting sources from contact cities and county areas, the place LASD [the Sheriff’s Department] was imagined to be utilizing its sources to guard residents.”
A number of folks, together with candidates from each inside and outdoors the division, are operating to unseat Villanueva within the June 7 main.
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