Thread by @StoltzeFrankly

The first public hearing with sworn testimony is about to get underway in the @LACountyCOC investigation into deputy gangs...the hearing is at @LoyolaLawSchool.

Oversight Panel Launches ‘Full Scale’ Investigation of LA Sheriff Deputy Gangs laist.com/news/criminal-…

Chief investigator for COC Bert Deixler says a "critical witness" who was going to testify today...dropped out Saturday...out of "fear of retribution"...says investigators have found "palpable fear" inside the #LASD over deputy gangs.

Deixler says county attorneys told him to keep secret information in depositions in civil lawsuits related to deputy gangs.

"I have rejected that proposal from County Counsel."

Hugely significant...could crack open new info on Banditos, et al.

Deixler introduces deposition testimony from #LASD Sgt. Jefferson Chow, who investigated assault by 4 alleged Banditos on other two deputies who did not support the gang... during 2018 after work party.

Chow testified then-Captain Burson said he had to check with @LACoSheriff about whether Chow should ask questions about the Banditos subculture...and that Burson came back to Chow and told him NOT to ask those questions.

Testimony now from Lt. Larry Andrew Waldie who was acting captain in Compton in 2018-19 when there was a slowdown by members of Executioners gang because he would not assign who they wanted to the powerful position of scheduling deputy...arrests plummeted, crime spiked.

The deputy who led the slowdown...Jaime Juarez...has been involved in four shootings...now on the list to be promoted to detective.

Waldie describes "shooting parties" - where Executioners gang celebrated shootings.

Also says he fears retaliation from deputies for testifying...for his family too.

"How far would people go?"

"It’s a fear in the back of my mind yes.”

This is extraordinary testimony from Lt. Waldie (whose father was once undersheriff)..a 1st person account of how the Executioners in Compton celebrated violence & sought to control the station with a work slowdown..that resulted in a drop in arrests and rise in crime.

Hearing is resuming w testimony over the phone from anonymous #LASD employee who currently works in East LA..person says 12-15 Banditos remain despite @LACoSheriff claimed he cleaned up the station.

And that they hold powerful positions - detectives and Field Training Officers.

This person describes incident where Banditos were taking shooting suspect to hospital...stopped...pulled him out of the car...and beat him up.

There was IA investigation into the incident...but deputies are still working at East LA Station, they said.

They echo allegations in a lawsuit that describes Banditos refusing to provide back-up to deputies who don't support them...and to one colleague who the gang believed was an FBI informant.

And they describe that, like the Executioners, Banditos have orchestrated work slowdowns when members have been disciplined.

They say in addition to 12-15 members, there are 10-15 associates...so the Banditos are 22-30 strong at a station w about 100 deputies.

This anonymous witness echoes claim by other ELA deputies - that Banditos removed lug nuts from the care of an unsupportive deputy's personal car in the station parking lot.

Former sheriff's chief and candidate for sheriff @Vera4Sheriff now testifying...says as onetime head of communications at the #LASD he would hear deputies call themselves by their gang monikers over the radio.

Vera says he was in the room once when @LACoSheriff was considering promotions...when the sheriff called his wife about one candidate...and when he hung up... gave a "thumbs down."

Community activists now addressing COC..some are family members of people shot by deputies. They say some of the shootings were part of initiations into gangs.

@CheckSheriff held a news conference before the hearing, saying @LACoSheriff must go.