Officer Accused in Raid Testifies Secretly on Case : Tribunal Says Action Was Taken to Protect Informant Identities

A police tribunal was closed to the public Tuesday when an officer accused of misconduct during a raid in South-Central Los Angeles last summer was called to testify.

A panel of three command-level hearing officers allowed Officer Carl A. Sims Jr. to give his testimony in secret because, two of them said, they wanted to protect the identities of police informants. They said the rest of the hearing would be open to the public.

The action was taken at the request of Sims’ defense team and despite vigorous objections from Sgt. Monrow Mabon, a member of the police Internal Affairs Division who is acting as a prosecutor against Sims.

Mabon had assured the panel that he did not intend to initiate questioning that would endanger the identities of informants. If informants had to be mentioned, Mabon had said, he would refer to them only as “the subject.”

The argument did not sway Capt. William Gartland, Capt. Bob Blanchard and Capt. William Hall, who agreed that Sims would testify in closed session. Sims’ defense team, Mabon, one internal affairs investigator and a court reporter were allowed to be present.

“The rules are basically those of an administrative hearing,” Hall told a reporter. “We can almost make up the rules as we go along as long as they are not unfair.”

Hall said it is not unusual to close portions of such tribunals. Lawyers for the civilian witnesses said had they known Sims would be allowed to testify in secret, they may not have let their clients testify in public. The tribunal on Monday had ruled against a defense motion to close the entire proceeding.

Issue to Be Studied

Assistant City Atty. Diane Wentworth, contacted by The Times, said she would study the issue and decide whether Sims’ entire testimony should remain secret.

In its case against Sims, the Police Department is alleging that he used false information to obtain search warrants on the four apartments in the 3900 block of Dalton Avenue that were raided Aug. 1, 1988, by at least 78 police officers looking for drugs. He is also accused of making a false arrest, filing a false arrest report and disposing of and lying about what was found in the search.

During the raid, the four apartments were virtually demolished. The damage was so severe, the occupants of the dwellings needed disaster aid from the Red Cross.

As a result of the incident, 38 officers were disciplined and four others face criminal charges of vandalism and conspiracy to commit vandalism. Nine of the officers, including Sims, were ordered before board of rights hearings. Sims has pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him and does not face criminal charges.