Panel Gets Subpoena Power for Sheriff’s Inquiry

The Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday gave Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles) the power to subpoena Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department records of a controversial shooting at the Ramona Gardens housing project after Sheriff Sherman Block refused to produce them.

“We have had an absolute concrete wall of obstacles to go through in getting access to information,” said Torres, chairman of the newly appointed Senate judiciary subcommittee on peace officer conduct.

Torres received approval to request records pertaining to the Ramona Gardens shooting, including the police report, radio transmissions one hour before and after the incident, witness reports and training and procedural manuals.

His committee also received permission to subpoena from County-USC Medical Center the medical records of Arturo Jimenez, slain by a deputy Aug. 3 at the housing project.

Torres said he wants to “assess what happened that night and why, if possible.”

Undersheriff Robert A. Edmonds said Block notified Torres that he would not voluntarily give Torres documents relating to the fatal shooting while the district attorney is still investigating the incident.

Edmonds said that the Sheriff’s Department offered to provide Torres with training manuals, however. “It’s up to him if he wants to issue a subpoena for information that is part of a formal investigation,” Edmonds said.

Legislative committees seldom exercise subpoena power to compel testimony of witnesses or gain access to documents. Torres’ subcommittee is looking at police shootings in minority communities and will hold a hearing Monday in Los Angeles.

Block was asked to testify but the committee was told that the sheriff will not be available, a committee aide said. Torres said he is not insisting on the sheriff’s presence but wants the records.

Torres also said he wants to receive information from civil rights organizations and representatives of Latino and Asian communities on how to improve police relations with minority communities.