LAPD pigs get out of jail free

A California Superior Court judge has ordered the 
release of Rafael Perez, the LAPD cop who blew the 
whistle on the department, exposing some of the 
rampant corruption and extreme brutality in the 
Rampart division. Unless the order is overturned, 
Perez will walk having spent less than three years 
in jail including time awaiting trial. In spite of 
having snitched on his colleagues and admitted to 
shooting and framing an unarmed man, he is a pig 
and the system takes care of its own. 

Perez was arrested in 1998 and convicted in February 2000 
for stealing six pounds of cocaine from a police 
evidence locker. 1.1 pounds (1/2 kilo) is supposed 
to carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five 
years in prison. His first trail ended in a hung 
jury. At his second trail he decided to plea 
bargain and rat on some of the other corrupt cops 
in the LAPD. What followed was a long stream of 
accusations and admissions of serious crimes 
committed by dozens of Los Angeles pigs including 
Perez and his partner Nino Durden. He told stories 
of severe brutality, framing of innocent people 
and perjury on the witness stand -- known as 
"testilying". As a result of these revelations, 
over 100 criminal convictions were overturned and 
seven other officers were criminally charged. 

There were four convictions but they were later 
overturned. The District Attorney's office is 
planning to appeal Perez's release. Whether he 
gets out now or later, his life will likely be in 
danger. He certainly made a lot of enemies with 
his testimony. As a result he might serve out his 
parole in another state. Considering the 
seriousness of the crimes that were uncovered the 
punishments have been pathetic. Most of the cops 
who committed abuses got nothing more than a slap 
on the wrist and almost none served any time in 
prison. 

Perez cracked the code of silence but it 
remains substantially intact. Under the 
dictatorship of the proletariat the rule of law 
prevails. Corruption and brutality are not 
tolerated and crimes like these would be punished 
swiftly and severely no matter who committed them. 
State employees are held to at least as high a 
standard of conduct as civilians.

Notes: Los Angeles Times, 24 Jul 2001.