LA Police Commission Reviews Controversial Ezell Ford Shooting Case
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Members of the Los Angeles Police Commission Tuesday are expected to vote on the fate officers involved in the deadly shooting of Ezell Ford.
In August 2014, Ford -- a 25-year-old, mentally ill black man -- was shot by officers in South Los Angeles. Ford was unarmed during the incident, and died as a result of the shooting.
About 40 to 50 members of the group Black Lives Matter Los Angeles formed the movement #OccupyLAMayor following reports that LAPD Chief Charlie Beck had reported to the commission that the officers involved in the death of Ford did not violate policy.
Protesters vowed to remain camped outside L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti's home in Windsor Square for two days, and demanded for the Police Commission to discuss the investigation publicly along with the firing of Chief Beck.
Around 9:30 a.m., the Police Commission met in downtown L.A. to review the controversial case.
Demonstrators traveled from the mayor's home to LAPD headquarters, where they chanted before the commissioners met.
Officials said 25 activists signed up to speak during the meeting about the injustices they felt have occurred here in Southern California, and across the country.
Shortly before 11 a.m., Police Commissioners adjourned deliberations to closed-door session due to disruptions, according to KNX 1070's John Baird.
#LAPD Meeting getting raucous.A speaker told Police Comm Pres to "shut up". Said he was "the worst" @KNX1070 @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/DKP4Xcn1oS
— Jon Baird (@KNXBaird) June 9, 2015
One person was arrested outside of the meeting room.
The panel reconvened in public session following a short recess. Commissioners explained they will review internal reports of the shooting during a closed session later today.
On Monday, Garcetti was confronted and criticized by demonstrators as he left his home to travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with federal officials.
Garcetti explained to protesters the meeting was aimed to request millions of dollars in federal funding to house the homeless in Los Angeles.
However, activists expressed they felt he should have stayed in Los Angeles during a time of rising emotions.
"Our mayor is ducking these issues," addressed Melina Abdullah, an organizer with Black Lives Matter. "Ultimately, we should be holding him accountable and he should be present to engage to the community he's supposed to be leading. And so, for him to duck out, I think, a very cowardly act."
In response, the mayor issued a statement that said: "I have confidence that the Police Commission will conduct an impartial and fair-minded review of the investigations conducted by both the LAPD and the independent Inspector General."
Garcetti is expected to return to L.A. later this afternoon, according to the mayor's office.
According to the Police Commission, members will vote on three issues -- tactics, use of force, and drawing a weapon -- regarding whether officers acted properly in the Ford case.
"The Police Commission reviews the decision that the chief makes as to whether the shooting is in policy or out of policy, and that it has the ultimate authority as to the department's determination as to whether a shooting is within the department's policy or out of the policy," said L.A. Police Commission President Richard Drooyan.
If the commission finds that an officer acted improperly outside the department policy, the case will then go back to the police chief for disciplinary action.
The Police Commission is also expected to release 24 pages of documents involving the deadly shooting investigation.
