Media groups sue LA County Sheriff’s Department, say journalists were injured covering protests

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Press Club and two news organizations sued Los Angeles County in federal court Wednesday, alleging the Sheriff’s Department has targeted media members with non-lethal but dangerous munitions and engaged in excessive force against its members who have covered recent protests — a similar suit was filed earlier in the week against the city’s police department.

“These journalists were not engaged in protest or unlawful activity and were exercising their First Amendment rights and safeguarding the First Amendment rights of all members of the community,” the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court states.

An LASD representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The suit contains several color photos of media members whose injuries allegedly occurred when hit by LASD munitions. The plaintiffs are the press club, the investigative reporting network Status Coup and the investigative news cooperative the Southlander.

The lawsuit alleges that the LASD’s use of what the plaintiffs deem are dangerous munitions in downtown Los Angeles was so chaotic that one LAPD officer was heard on the department’s radio scanner saying that Los Angeles Police Department officers were being tear-gassed and shot with LASD munitions.

“We’re still taking gas and less-lethal munitions from the sheriffs over on Temple and Main,” one LAPD officer was heard to say via LAPD radio, according to the suit, which further states that the LAPD officer pleaded with the LASD to hold their fire.

The civil rights suit seeks attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief preventing such alleged behavior by the LASD during future protests covered by the media.

A previous suit, filed by the Los Angeles Press Club, Status Coup alleged the LAPD and its chief of violating reporters’ rights while they were covering recent immigration raids and subsequent civil unrest.