A THREAD

In 2019, a friend was arrested on Venice Beach on a warrant for unpaid tickets (for being houseless).

LAPD promised they would store his belongings; clothes, bedding, his bike, phone, jewelry, his painting supplies (his living), and his laptop.

Guess what happened?

His laptop contained a manuscript for a book he had written. He pleaded with the officers arresting him, and then when he was booked at Pacific Station, about his stuff.

Not that he needed to, but he made sure they knew his belongings were invaluable.

After he was booked and right before he was shipped off to Men’s Central Jail, in cuffs, the LAPD stuffed a folded piece of paper into his pants, and said it was the receipt he needed to come and get his belongings.

The next morning, the judge let him (perhaps because what the fuck does arresting a person that owes money do except make them owe more money??)

I drove him to Pacific Station to pick up his stuff. He was confused because the receipt they gave him only listed his bike as the belongings they had, but was certain we’d figure it out.

All they had was his bike. No clothes (he had jail pants on still), no tent, no bedding.

No jewelry, no painting supplies, no phone, no laptop. We went back the next day and he filed a complaint against the two officers. Then he filed a claim with the city for stealing/throwing away his belongings.

Of course the LAPD self-investigation has gone no where. Last week, 18 months after filing a claim with the city, he got a letter from the City Attorney’s office.

His claim was denied. 18 months of no investigation, 18 months of waiting, and the city just basically says “Fuck off, liar.”

Battling health issues in addition to living unhoused during a pandemic, this is how our city creates, enables and sustains poverty.

Anyway, know any lawyers that want to sue the city and the police department?