Officer Braxton Shaw, accused of falsifying records in an L.A. Police Department scandal, pleaded no contest to six felony counts on Thursday. Shaw was part of the LAPD's Metropolitan Division and was charged in 2020 for falsifying interview cards, labeling 43 individuals as gang members without their admission. Some of these people ended up in the CalGang database.
Shaw's plea deal resolves multiple felony counts, avoiding decades in prison. In return, he will serve two years' probation, surrender his peace officer certification, and perform 250 hours of community service. Violation of his probation could lead to over seven years in prison.
Charges against the other five officers were dismissed. Prosecutors indicated that body-worn camera footage revealed Shaw and his partners falsified the interview cards. District Attorney George Gascón remarked, "Mr. Shaw's betrayal of the oath to serve and protect the community is not only disappointing but undermines the integrity of our law enforcement and the trust that the community places in them."
The investigation began in 2019 when a Van Nuys woman reported her son was wrongly identified as a gang member. Reviewing body-worn camera footage, a supervisor found inaccuracies, leading to the removal of her son from the gang database. Shaw's attorney, Greg Yacoubian, previously argued that Shaw relied on information from other officers and sources.
The LAPD announced it would stop submitting new entries to the CalGang database following the scandal. Then-Chief Michel Moore admitted to the Police Commission that a review revealed significant inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the database's use. A 2020 Times analysis showed that the Metro Division, making up 4% of the force, issued over 20% of the department's field interview cards within 18 months.
Link: LA Times
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