Legislator’s Car Had No Front Plate, Police Say

Assemblyman Kevin Murray (D-Los Angeles) was pulled over in Beverly Hills after an election night victory party because his Corvette did not have a front license plate, police said Thursday.

“Officers stopped the vehicle for a violation of California Vehicle Code 5200, no front license plates,” Beverly Hills Lt. Edward Kreins said.

Kreins said he had tried to reach Murray, who is African American, at his Culver City and Sacramento offices to discuss the police stop, which occurred early Wednesday

“I want to talk to him about his feelings and what happened and clear up any misunderstanding,” Kreins said. “I don’t know much of the conversation [he had with a female officer], although I know a little bit of her side.”

Murray, who had just won his primary election bid for a state Senate seat, said Wednesday that the officer told him she made the stop because she had run a computer check on his license plate and no record came back.

Murray said he explained to her that his car is state-leased and that law enforcement computers that store registration information don’t reveal details about lawmakers. When he asked why she had stopped him, he said, the officer said she did not need a reason to check of his plates.

Murray said he had has not decided whether to file a complaint with the department. But he is rethinking an earlier decision not to sponsor legislation aimed at combating a recurrent concern of African American men who say that police stop them for no apparent reason.