LAPD officers investigated over claims they forced women to have sex

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian

LAPD officers investigated over claims they forced women to have sex

Luis Valenzuela and James Nichols of Hollywood division are accused of targeting at least four women

Rory Carroll in Los Angeles
guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 January 2013 13.31 EST

Two Los Angeles police officers are under investigation for allegedly using blackmail and intimidation to force women to have sex with them while on duty.

Luis Valenzuela and James Nichols, veteran LAPD officers in the Hollywood division, are accused of targeting at least four women, in some cases taking them into an unmarked car to secluded areas. The accusations, if confirmed, will taint the image of a force that has shed much of its reputation for thuggery since the Rodney King riots of 1992.

The LAPD chief, Charlie Beck, said on Thursday that he was saddened by the allegations and that investigations were continuing. "If they are true, it would be horrific," he said.

Detectives from the department's internal affairs unit suspect the officers preyed on women whom they had arrested previously or who worked for them as informants, according to a search warrant reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. The pair lured victims into their car and used the threat of jail to coerce sex, the warrant alleges. Four women have made independent accusations.


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/04/lapd-officers-investigated-forcing-women-sex

[Crowman1979]

1. If it involves the LAPD, then they are DEFINITELY guilty!

[Macoy51]

3. when did LAPD shed it’s reputation for thuggery?

FTA: “a force that has shed much of its reputation for thuggery”

This is news to me, when did LAPD shed it’s reputation for thuggery?

Macoy

[shanti]

10. exactly

that jumped out at me too. they never "shed" anything...

[thelordofhell]

2. Gives a new meaning to this song..........

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. "Forced women to have sex". Some call that "Rape".

Yes, a few rape convictions might "taint the image of the force".

[obamanut2012]

5. The police officers raped women

They are rapists and sex offenders, and should be treated as such.

That's what the newspaper headline should be.

[leveymg]

6. Reminds me of the LA cop played by James Woods in the 1988 film of the same title.

[Wolf Frankula]

7. Forced the Women to Have Sex. Sounds like Forcible Rape to me.

If they are convicted send them to prison. Put them in the genpop. But remember that it's hard for a cop in the pen.

Wolf

[Odin2005]

8. RAPE, the word is RAPE.

[yardwork]

9. Did one of those women lose sight of her drink for a minute?

I'm reading all over DU that if women would just take responsibility for keeping themselves safe, then rapes wouldn't happen.

[seabeyond]

14. you made me chuckle. niftier is i see about every poster is saying.... rape. not sex, rape. nt

[Brigid]

11. At least these women came forward.

I wonder how many did not.

[NeoConsSuck]

12. How is this not rape? (nt)

[siligut]

16. The women were coerced?

They were threatened, so they complied.

[seabeyond]

13. rape. that would be two police raped women. nt

[JI7]

15. 1992 ? i believe in some years after there was a huge thing of them setting up people

planting evidence and things like that.

[Comrade Grumpy]

18. The Rampart scandal:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampart_scandal

[olaasm]

17. Call "rape" what it is.

With Steubenville and Delhi on everyone's minds these days, I think it's imperative that people recognize the way the media has deliberately elided using the word "rape." What is "rape culture" if not employing elaborate euphemisms in order to justify the behavior of these officers?

This isn't "sexual misconduct." Coercing another person into having sex has a very simple word in English: "rape."

http://raniakhalek.com/2013/01/07/police-officers-accused-of-rape-get-a-pass-from-the-la-times/

Shame on the LAPD, the LA Times, and the local affiliates for - once again - not taking "rape" seriously. (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/28/local/la-me-lapd-dna-20110427)