Embattled Fullerton Police Hit With Civil Suit After New Video Surfaces

FULLERTON (CBS) — A lawsuit is being filed Friday against the embattled Fullerton Police Department by a man who claims his civil rights were violated.

The suit alleges some of the Fullerton officers conspired to put 34-year-old Veth Mam of El Monte in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

Last October, Mam pulled out his iPhone camera as Fullerton officers arrested his friend. But that's when officers allegedly focused on him.

Mam's attorney Garo Mardirossian says one officer hit his client and that forced him to drop the phone, which was still recording the incident.

The officers later claimed Mam attacked them.

"And a jury exonerated him. He's innocent, not guilty on all charges," Mardirossian told Suraya Fadel, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9.

Mardirossian says his client was wrongfully accused by cops, who allegedly lied on a report and on the stand.

"When you look at the video and you look at the police report, one of them is lying and it's not the video," he added.

Mardirossian, who also represents the family of Kelly Thomas, says one of the officers involved in the arrest of Mam was also involved in the arrest of Thomas.

Thomas died last month after a confrontation with Fullerton police.

"Had the Fullerton Police Department, the D.A.'s office exposed that officer's misconduct in the Veth Mam case, that officer would not have been on the force and would not have been there to cause Kelly's death," Mardirossian said.

The department would not comment on the officers involved in this incident, only to say an internal investigation will result in appropriate action.