Judge Lets Rampart Case Awards Stand
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A federal judge refused Monday to overturn awards of $5 million each to three police officers who claimed the city of Los Angeles held them responsible for the Rampart corruption scandal.
U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney upheld the jury decision involving Officer Paul Harper, suspended Sgt. Edward Ortiz and former Sgt. Brian Liddy.
Carney also said he would not grant a new trial, finding that there was enough evidence for the jury’s conclusion that the LAPD “ruined the lives of three highly skilled” police officers and the department “had no probable cause” to arrest the men.
Dale Goldfarb, a private attorney who represents the city, said he plans to challenge the verdict.
The officers were arrested in 2000 on corruption charges. A jury convicted the officers of conspiracy to obstruct justice in the framing of two reputed gang members.
A judge threw out the convictions a month later, ruling that instructions to the jury before deliberations had been misinterpreted.
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