Beverly Hills Cop Sues Over Retaliation For Reporting Detective Who Allegedly Disturbed Scene Of Whitney Houston's Body
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Beverly Hills police sergeant filed a lawsuit against the city Monday, alleging he was harassed and denied promotions after reporting a fellow cop who he says disturbed the scene of the late singer Whitney Houston's body.
The lawsuit brought by Sgt. Brian Weir alleges Det. Sgt. Terry Nutall disturbed the scene of the body and made inappropriate comments about Houston, who was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton in 2012.
According to the suit, Det. Sgt. Nutall removed a sheet that had been placed over the deceased singer and knelt beside the body. The suit charges that Nutall said, "'Damn, she's still looking good, huh?'" and made inappropriate comments suggesting the deceased Houston "looked attractive for a woman of her age and current state."
Weir, a Beverly Hills SWAT supervisor at the time, alleges he was removed from positions on the SWAT and K-9 teams, denied promotions and stripped of supervisory positions within the department.
In addition to unspecified damages, the suit asks that Weir be allowed to return to his positions on both teams, considered "coveted" positions within the BHPD.
The lawsuit follows a claim filed in September by Weir, alleging retaliation for reporting Nutall's actions.
In September, Beverly Hills police Lt. Lincoln Hoshino said the department refuted the allegations.
Lt. Hoshino said he was unaware of the lawsuit filed in L.A. Superior Court Monday, but called the preceding claim's allegations "baseless."
Houston drowned accidentally on February 11, 2012, with cocaine use and heart diseases listed as contributing factors, according to the coroner's office. She was 48.
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