August 8, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

Veteran Detective Denied Career Advancement For Refusing to Sign Allegedly False Statement

A veteran Los Angeles police detective was denied career advancements for refusing to sign a statement — prepared by a federal prosecutor — that allegedly contained false information, his attorney told a jury Monday, but a lawyer for the city denied the plaintiff was the subject of any backlash.

The opposing views came during opening statements in trial of Detective Jamie McBride’s lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.

McBride joined the LAPD in 1990. In February 2011, personnel from the LAPD and several other agencies arrested 57 people in a roundup targeting a street gang, according to court papers filed by McBride’s lawyer, Gregory W. Smith. One of those arrested was Ruben Marquez, who worked as a confidential informant for McBride from 2007-10, according to Smith.

McBride later spoke with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Neuman and told him what he knew about Marquez and what the informant had done for the plaintiff, Smith told jurors. In November 2011, Neuman sent McBride a declaration to review and sign in connection with the prosecution of the defendants charged after the round-up, according Smith.

McBride found five errors in the declaration, according to Smith.

“I’m not going to sign that declaration,” McBride told himself, according to his attorney.

Neuman ended up agreeing to allow Marquez to enter a plea to a lesser charge, Smith said. The LAPD, unhappy with McBride’s unwillingness to sign the declaration, removed him from field duty in 2012 and the next year sent him to a Board of Rights hearing, according to his lawsuit.

Although McBride prevailed on five of the seven charges filed against him at the BOR hearing in 2014, Jorge Villegas, an LAPD bureau chief, prohibited the plaintiff from working as a night watch detective supervisor and from having any supervisory roles, according to Smith.

Former LAPD Officer Rodney Rodriguez stated in a sworn declaration that he overheard Villegas say to someone on a cell phone call that McBride had embarrassed the department by refusing to sign the declaration given him by the federal prosecutor and that the entire case could have been jeopardized.

“We’re going to have to deal with him,” Villegas said, according to Rodriguez’s declaration.

But Deputy City Attorney Dennis Kong said McBride was treated the same way any other LAPD officer would be under the same circumstances and that there was no retaliation by the department.

He said Villegas stopped an attempt to downgrade the plaintiff to a lower grade of detective because of a lack of evidence at the time.

“At the end of the day, what this case is about is public safety,” Kong said, noting that Marquez was close to known Mexican Mafia associate George Bustamante.

Kong said that since the Rampart scandal of the 1990s, the LAPD has been more sensitive about public trust and the lax relationships some officers have with their informants.

McBride “was good at his job,” Kong said. “He put some guns and some drugs off the street.” But McBride also had shortcomings in handling informants and in the way he trained his subordinates to do so, Kong said.

McBride, the trial’s first witness, said Marquez gave him information that helped in the arrest of more than 30 people, mostly gang members. However, he said he would not have hesitated to arrest Marquez if circumstances warranted it.

McBride said the only training he had from the LAPD in handling confidential informants was a 20-minute department video on the subject.

Unable to advance in his career because of the continuing restrictions, McBride ran for and was elected director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League in January 2015, according to his lawsuit.

He made headlines in January 2016 when he criticized Chief Charlie Beck for recommending that Officer Clifford Proctor be criminally charged in the fatal on-duty shooting of Brendon Glenn, an unarmed homeless man, in Venice in 2015.

LAPD investigators concluded Glenn was trying to get up off the ground when Proctor fired twice and hit the man in the back.

80620289

Related Posts

Full Moon Frights at Cinespia: Vampires, Werewolves, and a Night Under the Stars

August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025

Double Feature Coincides With Rare Celestial Triple Event Cinespia invites fans of horror comedy classics will gather under the glow...

Xenomorphs Hit Hollywood: FX Launches Global ‘Alien: Earth’ Hunt Ahead of Series Premiere

August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025

Fans Can Track “Crash-Site” Crates in LA for Instant Prizes, Photo Ops, and Sweepstakes FX is bringing the world of...

Glorya Kaufman, Dance, Arts and Health Philanthropist Who Transformed L.A.’s Landscape, Dies at 95

August 8, 2025

August 8, 2025

From Culver City, Brentwood, UCLA, USC, and Downtown LA, Her Generosity was Legendary Glorya Kaufman, a transformative benefactor to the...

Overnight Lane Closures Set for I-405 Through Sepulveda Pass Next Week

August 7, 2025

August 7, 2025

Caltrans to Close Multiple Northbound and Southbound Lanes Nightly  Caltrans will implement overnight lane closures along Interstate 405 in the...

Levain Bakery Lands in Beverly Hills with Cookies, Swag, and a Sweet Surprise

August 7, 2025

August 7, 2025

Newest Location’s Debut Includes Limited-Edition Flavor, Early-Bird Giveaways Levain Bakery will mark the opening of its newest location in Beverly...

Bistro Blue’s One Night Only Seasonal Menu Pops Up at Little City Farms August 10

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Chef Kara Vorabutr’s Garden Dinner Promises to be a Seasonal Showstopper Bistro Blue, a pop-up concept by Chef Kara Vorabutr,...

Cardinale du Vin’s Weekend Izakaya Pop-Up Blends Thai Flavors and Japanese Dishes

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Three Nights Only: Thai-Japanese Fusion Menu Launched in Pico-Robertson Cardinale du Vin is unveiling a special izakaya-inspired menu this weekend,...

Santa Monica’s Chez Jay Celebrates 66 Years with Retro Bash by the Beach

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

Landmark Restaurant Celebrates With Classic Cars, Live Music, Celebrity Lore One of Los Angeles County’s most storied restaurants will mark...

Film Review: Weapons

August 6, 2025

August 6, 2025

By Dolores Quintana You might be asking yourself what the film Weapons is about. Not to worry, writer and director...

Classic Rock Tribute Takes Center Stage at Beverly Hills Summer Series, Concerts on Canon

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Rod Lightning and the Thunderbolts of Love Bring High-Energy Hits to the Stage The City of Beverly Hills continues its...

Trial Date Set for Alleged ‘Ketamine Queen’ in Matthew Perry’s Death

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Woman Accused in Matthew Perry’s Overdose to Face Jury The woman accused of supplying the fatal dose of ketamine that...

DUI Suspect Identified and Charged in Crash That Killed 9-Year-Old, Injured Brother

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

RV Driver to Face Serious Felony Charges After Striking Boys Riding E-Scooter The 46-year-old man who was allegedly driving under...

Late-Night Traffic Stop in L.A. Lands Rap Star Soulja Boy Back in Legal Spotlight

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Rapper Taken Into Custody During Early Morning Traffic Stop Rapper Soulja Boy was taken into custody early Sunday after Los...

Deadly Crosswalk Hit and Run in West Adams, Victim Hit Multiple Times and Left to Die

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Police Seek Public Help to Identify Three Drivers Who Struck and Killed a Pedestrian  Detectives with the Los Angeles Police...

Brentwood Bookstore Welcomes a Hollywood Insider and Secret Service Agent for a Night of Noir

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Tinseltown Thrills Meet Real-Life Intrigue With Author of To Live and Die in LA Diesel, A Bookstore will host a...