Latinos Say U.S. to Probe Police Cases : Civil rights: Mexican American attorneys meet with Justice Department officials over dozens of alleged violations.

Members of the Mexican American Bar Assn. of Los Angeles County said Monday that the U.S. Justice Department has agreed to investigate dozens of alleged civil rights violations against Latinos by police, sheriff’s deputies and others.

Bar association members said they met with Assistant Atty. Gen. Deval L. Patrick and five members of his staff and received a pledge that the Justice Department would “allocate the resources necessary to investigate any police departments found to be violating the civil rights of Latinos.”

Patrick--Atty. Gen. Janet Reno’s top civil rights aide--could not be reached for comment Monday because federal offices were closed in observance of Columbus Day.

Luis A. Carrillo, one of the attorneys who attended the meeting with Justice Department officials, said the message was clear: “They are going to do something about the problem. We want to put the police agencies on notice that business as usual has to stop.”

Citing a “reign of terror” against Latinos in Southern California, the attorneys presented federal officials with a list dating back to 1987 of more than 30 incidents that have resulted in the deaths of at least 23 Latinos. Most involved shootings by law enforcement authorities, none of whom was prosecuted.

The lawyers also cited the much-publicized case of William Masters, a civilian who fatally shot one graffiti tagger and wounded another in January, claiming self-defense. Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti declined to prosecute Masters on manslaughter charges. Masters was convicted on misdemeanor gun charges.

The attorneys also listed a roster of high-profile instances of alleged police abuse, including the fatal LAPD shooting in July of 14-year-old Antonio Gutierrez in Lincoln Heights. Police say the shooting was justified because the youth was carrying a gun. However, the boy’s family is pursuing a wrongful-death claim against the city.

“We went to Washington to get the Feds involved,” said Montebello attorney Gregory W. Moreno, adding that the Justice Department officials assured the Latino coalition that they would contact them about the pending federal inquiry before Nov. 15.

“We are pleased,” Moreno said.