$25-Million Claim Filed in Videotaped Beating

A suspected car thief beaten by police last month filed a claim Thursday with the city of Los Angeles for $25 million in damages.

Stanley Miller, 36, alleged he suffered “brain damage, spinal injuries, trunk-torso injuries, internal injuries, emotional distress, and bruises and contusions” during his televised arrest near a concrete creek bed in Compton on June 23.

The sum he is seeking, the claim said, is justified by the “malicious and egregious conduct of the LAPD.”

“The LAPD planted evidence, lied about evidence, destroyed evidence and has attempted to cover up its misdeeds,” according to the document.

The claim will be reviewed by a claims board. If it is rejected, Miller could file a lawsuit.

Eric Moses, spokesman for City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo, said his office had no comment. “We haven’t seen the claim,” he said.

Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman Mary Grady said, “We are not able to discuss pending litigation.”

Miller’s attorney, Robert J. Stoll Jr., said his client had been examined by a neurologist who found that Miller has suffered brain damage leading to “ongoing dizziness, blurred vision, vertigo, the onset of sleeplessness, nausea and depression.”

Miller is being held at the California Institution for Men in Chino on a parole violation. Prison doctors observed Miller after he complained of dizziness.

Police Chief William J. Bratton and Assistant Chief George Gascon are named in the claim as among city employees allegedly causing damages. In addition, the claim lists police Officers John Hatfield, Michael O’Connor, David Hale, Peter Bueno, Todd Behrens, Andrew Moody, and Sgt. Angela McGee, all of whom were at the scene of the arrest. The claim also refers to unspecified others.

Bratton told City Council members two weeks ago that the arrest of Miller was “a mess. It’s not what we teach at the academy.” But he said Miller’s injuries appeared to be minor. “He had [an] abrasion of the chin or cheek. Some reddening of the nose. Some bruising on at least one of his shoulders,” he said.

Miller led police on a half-hour car chase before appearing to surrender after a short foot pursuit. Hatfield was viewed on news videotapes striking Miller 11 times with a flashlight after two other officers tackled him.

Miller was taken to the Southeast Division station and police headquarters before being taken to White Memorial Medical Center for observation.

Stoll said the decision to ask for $25 million in damages was made after a review of jury verdicts in other Southern California brain injury cases, and it took into account alleged police misconduct during the arrest.

“We think in many ways what happened is much worse than what happened to Rodney King,” Stoll said. “We were supposed to learn something from Rodney King, and this is evidence we didn’t.”

King filed a claim in 1991 for $83 million in damages, which the city rejected. Three years later, a jury awarded him $3.8 million, and a judge ordered the city to pay an additional $1.6 million for him to pay his attorneys.