Convicted pimp accuses police of racial profiling and false imprisonment
A convicted pimp has filed a $2.9-million lawsuit against the Burbank Police Department and the city claiming false imprisonment and racial profiling stemming from charges filed against him more than two years ago that were eventually dismissed.
In November 2010, Odonga Rush, 41, was charged with two counts of identity theft and one count of forging a public seal, but the charges were eventually dismissed.
In the lawsuit — filed Jan. 30 in U.S. District Court — Rush claims that Burbank police approached him “without probable cause” while he was in his car at a hotel.
When officers ran his license, they found an unpaid ticket warrant, according to the lawsuit. In Rush’s wallet, officers found “a replica ID from California and credit cards in different names,” according to the lawsuit.
Rush was subsequently charged with identity theft and forgery.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office could not immediately confirm why the charges were dropped, but in his lawsuit, Rush contends it was due to the case being “factually insufficient.”
In the lawsuit, Rush claims he was subjected to “false imprisonment, racial profiling, slavery, cruel and unusual punishment and mental anguish” after officers arrested him “without probable cause.”
Rush is seeking $2.9 million, which he said he derived by calculating the loss of income, “lawsuits my company incurred as a result of my incarceration,” and for the loss of his personal belongings, including his “cars, apartment, clothes, jewelry, credit rating.”
Burbank City Atty. Amy Albano said the city had not yet been served with the lawsuit, and therefore could not comment on the case.
Rush, who is representing himself, according to the lawsuit, could not immediately be reached for comment. He remains in Los Angeles County jail after being convicted in August of three counts of pimping. He is scheduled to be sentenced in March.
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