Overview
- U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer ruled that Los Angeles willfully fabricated or altered key evidence in a long-running suit over encampment cleanups.
- The neutral examiner found records in 90% of 144 reviewed cleanups were modified or fabricated after the city was on notice to preserve evidence.
- Because the evidence was tainted, the court accepted the plaintiffs’ allegations as true and ended the case without a trial.
- Fischer said the L.A. City Attorney’s office concealed misconduct and violated multiple court orders over years of discovery disputes.
- Both sides must file proposed remedies by March 15, with plaintiffs seeking monetary damages and a permanent injunction reshaping seizure and storage practices, including advance notice, itemized lists, and extended storage.