Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said Tuesday his office would review past prosecutions that involved a retired LAPD homicide detective, who was apparently recorded on cell phone video in Valencia using a racial slur during an argument that followed a minor traffic collision.
“The video in question is disturbing and involves a former homicide detective exhibiting racist tendencies,” Gascon said via Twitter. He said the DA’s office, “is taking immediate action and has identified several cases where this individual was a witness.”
The video was first posted online by a Twitter account called @whatsupscv shows a man later identified as a former LAPD detective, arguing with another man while two cars are stopped at the side of a road.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The LAPD confirmed the person in the video was a former employee and released a short statement Tuesday that said it was unable to take any action in connection with the event.
“The individual is not a current member of the LAPD and retired in May 2020 as a detective assigned to Operations Central Bureau Homicide,” according to LAPD’s Media Relations Office. “To ensure there is no current Department nexus to this incident, there has been an internal investigation started. What is seen in the video is not reflective of the thousands of hard working and dedicated men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department.”
Late Tuesday the LAPD said there were 370 cases handled by the retired detective that will be reviewed.
“The Department has pledged full cooperation with the process,” it said in a statement.
The DA’s office confirmed to NBCLA cases in which this individual was an investigator or a witness would be reviewed in light of the video, which could be viewed as potentially exculpatory material that prosecutors are obligated to share with defendants.
“We are in the process of notifying defense attorneys in such cases,” Gascon said on Twitter.
