November 19, 2021

According to an attorney for the man’s son, the child of a Black man who was killed as he was fatally shot by Southern California police in 2018 and whose death spurred lawmakers to enact a state law decertifying the officers whose acts are criminal or with the bias has settled a federal lawsuit for $1.3 million with the city of Gardena.

Kenneth Ross Jr., 25, was shot killed by police in Gardena, a city in Los Angeles County’s South Bay region when officers responded to reports of a man firing his weapon in a park. His death prompted calls for police reform as well.

As per the reports on Wednesday, attorneys Carl Douglas and Jamon Hicks, who represented Ross’s 8-year-old son, announced the settlement. Ross’s mother and father also reached a separate settlement with the city for lesser amounts.

According to Hicks, as part of the settlement agreement, the city of Gardena did not admit to any wrongdoing. According to the lawyer, the mother of Ross’s son believes the new state law is more important than the settlement and shows that her son’s death was not in vain.

Obviously, money will not bring him back, according to Hicks.

Types of Police Misconduct

Several types of police misconduct involve law enforcement when officers are on or off duty. The following are some examples of civil rights violations:

  • Selective law enforcement:These cases happen when government officials, such as police officers or regulators, have the power to decide whether or not to punish someone who has violated the law. Officials choosing which laws to enforce is considered unfair treatment and an act of misconduct. Selective enforcement, on the other hand, maybe desirable in some cases.
    For example, selective enforcement is tolerable when an officer issues a verbal warning for a minor traffic violation or cannot give speeding tickets to every driver going past the speed limit.
  • Witness tampering:A common type of misconduct is witness tampering, which involves an officer seeking to alter an individual’s testimony or trying to prevent an individual from testifying in a proceeding. A witness tampering charge requires evidence of an officer attempting to alter or prevent testimony.
  • Failure to intervene:Any officer who allows a fellow colleague to violate a victim’s civil rights are subject to prosecution for failure to intervene in any constitutional violation. The government must show that the accused officer was aware of the violation, had the opportunity to intervene, and failed to do so.
  • Sexual misconduct:Sexual misconduct charges refer to police actions such as sexual harassment, extortion, or forcible rape. Unfortunately, sexual predation by law enforcement occurs far more often than most people realize. Approximately 66.67 percent of all sexual assaults in the United States go unreported.
  • False confessions:Surprisingly, one out of every four people gets wrongfully convicted due to a false confession or incriminating statement. Officers who are convicted of a suspect’s guilt may use harsh interrogation tactics such as threats or torture to persuade them to plead guilty to something they did not do.
    In addition, individuals often make false confessions because they believe that refusing to comply with the police will result in severe consequences.
  • Racial profiling:The portions of the population may perceive the police as oppressors, causing separation based on racial, religious, or political differences. Victims of profiling belong to racial or cultural minority groups, the disabled, or those from the lower class.

Police Misconduct Lawyers

To protect the people from corruption and injustice, we must hold our police officers accountable for any misconduct. Call for a free consultation with a specialized police misconduct lawyer at Khashan Law at 951.461.2387 today to take legal action and get the justice you deserve.