LAPD deputy chief harasses husband and later retaliates against his wife, both sworn officers. $10M. Los Angeles County.
Summary
LAPD deputy chief is said to retaliate against a female lieutenant under his command after previously harassing her husband, also a sworn officer.
The Case
- Case Name: Stacey Vince v. City of Los Angeles, a government entity; Los Angeles Police Department, a government entity; and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive
- Court and Case Number: Los Angeles Superior Court / 20STCV40092
- Date of Verdict or Judgment: Friday, March 17, 2023
- Date Action was Filed: Friday, October 09, 2020
- Type of Case: Employment
- Judge or Arbitrator(s): Hon. Christopher K. Lui
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Plaintiffs: Stacey Vince, 50
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Defendants: City of Los Angeles, a government entity; Los Angeles Police Department, a government entity; and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive
- Type of Result: Jury Verdict
The Result
- Gross Verdict or Award: $10,105,299
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Economic Damages:
$1,105,299
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Non-Economic Damages:
$9,000,000
The Attorneys
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Attorney for the Plaintiff:
McNicholas & McNicholas LLP by Matthew S. McNicholas and Douglas Winter, Los Angeles.
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Attorney for the Defendant:
Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney by Susan Rim and Keimer E. Raymond, Los Angeles.
The Experts
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Plaintiff's Technical Expert(s):
Marianne Inouye, economics.
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Defendant's Technical Expert(s):
Richard Ruiz, MBA, CFE, economics.
Facts and Background
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Facts and Background:
At all times relevant to this claim, plaintiff’s husband Lou Vince (hereinafter “Lou”) was a sworn police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, assigned to various divisions within the LAPD. Over years of working for the department, Lou suffered a severe back injury that required medical care. After undergoing spinal fusion surgery and attempting to return to work, Lou faced significant harassment and discrimination by the department based on his disability.
Lou’s internal complaints and formal lawsuit specifically identify Deputy Chief Kris Pitcher as one of the individuals who harassed and discriminated against Lou, who failed to engage in the interactive process with Lou, who refused to provide reasonable accommodations for Lou’s injury, and/or who retaliated against Lou for requesting accommodations and/or for reporting the discrimination and harassment.
Plaintiff in this case worked in the Detective Bureau of the Los Angeles Police Department as the LTII Adjutant/OIC to the Bureau Commanding Officer. In or around June 2019, Deputy Chief Pitcher announced that he would be moving to Detective Bureau (hereinafter, “DB”), the division to which plaintiff was assigned. When Deputy Chief Pitcher arrived at DB, he immediately began ignoring, ostracizing, and undermining plaintiff. Pitcher avoided plaintiff, communicated some but not all work-related information to plaintiff, and utilized Sgt. Walters, who plaintiff outranked, rather than dealing directly with plaintiff.
On or around June 17, 2019, Pitcher and Commander Clark had a meeting in Pitcher's office, during which Pitcher told Commander Clark that there was a conflict between Pitcher and plaintiff’s husband, Lou Vince. Pitcher also told Commander Clark that there was “animosity” between Pitcher and plaintiff and Lou Vince.
On June 26, 2019, plaintiff made a complaint to the Internal Affairs Group alleging that Chief Pitcher had retaliated against her. Plaintiff’s last day at DB was July 2, 2019, and she was transferred to a different unit.
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Plaintiff's Contentions:
That plaintiff’s career has been materially and adversely affected, and irreparably harmed and damaged by the conduct of the defendants. That defendants created a conflict by saying they were going to harm her career if her husband continued to seek an accommodation, and that creating such an illegal conflict does not allow them to use it to violate the law multiple times.
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Defendant's Contentions:
That defendants transferred plaintiff from DB due to a “conflict in command,” and not for purposes of damaging her career. Plaintiff was subsequently promoted to Captain in November 2022.