officers - The Black Vault

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In Los Angeles, u.s Attorney Baird said, "This indictment,
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for violatio?s .. of federal civil rights law, is the result of the
federal investigation which started after the assault, was
suspended during the state prosecution and resumed following the
verdict in the state case against the -s~me defendants. In
accordance with United States Department of Justice policy and
the United States Supreme Court legal authority, the federal
government can and often does await the outcome of state
proceedings before initiating its own prosecutions." Baird
added, "Yesterday's indictment does not conclude the federal
investigation of this matter.
The investigation is continuing."
In Washington, D.C., Associate Attorney General Wayne Budd,
who has personally directed the federal investigation, said, "The
Department of Justice has a responsibility to vindicate the
violation of the fundamental rights protected by the United
States Constitution.
The indictment of the four police officers
in Los Angeles whose conduct was captured on video tape last year
is the first step toward fulfilling that responsibility." Budd
noted that.~~
extensive federal grand jury investigation has been
conducted over seyeral months and was direc~ed by attorneys from
., the· Civil Rights D~vis~~n 0f the Department of Justice and the
Un-ited St~tes.Attbrney•s
Office.
Each of the: ~~ur _d~fendants is,charged under 18 United
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States Co'de ~. ~42 .: ~ .J)nder. that· statute the maximum penalty for
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each defendant is ten.~yea~s imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
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