logo
Los Angeles County will pay $2.7M to teen boy attacked in ‘gladiator fights' at detention facility

Los Angeles County will pay $2.7M to teen boy attacked in ‘gladiator fights' at detention facility

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County on Monday agreed to pay $2.7 million to a teenager who was attacked by at least six other young people at a juvenile detention center in so-called 'gladiator fights' that were allegedly facilitated by probation officers.
The boy's beating in 2023 at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall was captured on surveillance video that also showed several officials standing idly by and some of them shaking hands with the participants in the beating.
A state grand jury in March charged 30 correctional officers for their role in allowing and sometimes encouraging nearly 70 fights to take place between July and December 2023. The officers face charges including child endangerment and abuse, conspiracy, and battery.
More than 140 victims between the ages of 12 and 18 were involved, according to authorities.
Attorney General Rob Bonta said after the charges were announced that it seemed the attacks were planned.
'They often wanted them to happen at the beginning of the day, in a certain time, in a certain place. A space and a time was created for the fights, and the plan was for the fights to happen,' he said.
The investigation began after the Los Angeles Times first obtained and published video footage that shows a then-16-year-old being attacked by at least six other young people, who came at him one by one as officers stand by watching.
The video was first made public during a court hearing during which a public defender for the boy, now 17, argued to a judge that he was not safe at Los Padrinos and should be released ahead of his trial.
His attorney, Jamal Tooson, said the settlement was a 'first step' in recognizing the 'egregious' conduct of the LA County Probation Department.
'Our priority needs to be not just protecting my client but all children in similar circumstances under the care and watch of the probation department,' Tooson said. 'There were lawsuits prior to this. I personally represent several individuals who've been harmed at the same facility after this.'
According to a correction action plan written by the department, staff failed to review CCTV footage of the facility, delayed taking the teen to the hospital, and waited too long to notify his parents. To address these issues, the department will ensure CCTV monitors are 'staffed routinely' and conduct random footage audits, and develop a protocol for making sure young people in custody are given medical care and their parents are informed appropriately.
A judge ruled in April that the LA County Probation Department could not continue housing juveniles at Los Padrinos and approved a plan in May to move more than 100 youths out of the facility. California's state board overseeing local correctional facilities has previously ordered Los Padrinos to be shut down.
Tooson believes there is a pervasive 'culture problem' extending throughout the probation department's facilities that cannot be addressed by the correction action plan. He has filed at least 19 lawsuits in federal court alleging issues from physical violence allowed by officials to sexual assault by staff members in LA County's youth detention centers, he said.
'Until we actively start changing the mindset and behavior of those who are put into a caretaking responsibility of these youth, I think we're going to find ourselves in the same situation,' he said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US migrant raids spark boom for private detention providers
US migrant raids spark boom for private detention providers

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

US migrant raids spark boom for private detention providers

Donald Trump's promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history has appalled some Americans. But others are cashing in on the boom in demand for private detention centers. Migrants captured by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents need to be temporarily housed in places like the facility being readied in California City, prior to deportation. "When you talk to the majority of residents here, they have a favorable perspective on it," said Marquette Hawkins, mayor of the hardscrabble settlement of 15,000 people, 100 miles (160 kilometres) north of Los Angeles. "They look at the economic impact, right?" California City is to be home to a sprawling detention center that will be operated by CoreCivic, one of the largest companies in the private detention sector. The company, which declined AFP requests for an interview, says the facility would generate around 500 jobs, and funnel $2 million in tax revenue to the city. "Many of our residents have already been hired out there to work in that facility," Hawkins told AFP. "Any revenue source that is going to assist the town in rebuilding itself, rebranding itself, is going to be seen as a plus," he said. - Boom - Trump's ramped-up immigration arrests, like those that provoked protests in Los Angeles, saw a record 60,000 people in detention in June, according to ICE figures. Those same figures show the vast majority have no conviction, despite the president's election campaign promises to go after hardened criminals. More than 80 percent of detainees are in facilities run by the private sector, according to the TRAC project at Syracuse University. And with Washington's directive to triple the number of daily arrests -- and $45 billion earmarked for new detention centers -- the sector is looking at an unprecedented boom. "Never in our 42-year company history have we had so much activity and demand for our services as we are seeing right now," Damon Hininger, executive director of CoreCivic, said in a May call with investors. When Trump took office in January, some 107 centers were operating. The number now hovers around 200. For Democratic politicians, this proliferation is intentional. "Private prison companies are profiting from human suffering, and Republicans are allowing them to get away with it," Congresswoman Norma Torres told reporters outside a detention center in the southern California city of Adelanto. At the start of the year, there were three people detained there; there are now hundreds, each one of them attracting a daily stipend of taxpayer cash for the operator. Torres was refused permission to visit the facility, run by the privately owned GEO Group, because she had not given seven days' notice, she said. "Denying members of Congress access to private detention facilities like Adelanto isn't just disrespectful, it is dangerous, it is illegal, and it is a desperate attempt to hide the abuse happening behind these walls," she said. "We've heard the horrifying stories of detainees being violently arrested, denied basic medical care, isolated for days, and left injured without treatment," she added. Kristen Hunsberger, a staff attorney at the Law Center for Immigrant Advocates, said one client complained of having to wait "six or seven hours to get clean water." It is "not sanitary and certainly not... in compliance with just basic human rights." Hunsberger, who spends hours on the road going from one center to another to locate her clients, says many have been denied access to legal counsel, a constitutional right in the United States. Both GEO and ICE have denied allegations of mistreatment at the detention centers. "Claims there is overcrowding or subprime conditions in ICE facilities are categorically FALSE," said Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security. "All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers." - 'Strategy' - But some relatives of detainees tell a different story. Alejandra Morales, an American citizen, said her undocumented husband was detained incommunicado for five days in Los Angeles before being transferred to Adelanto. In the Los Angeles facility, "they don't even let them brush their teeth, they don't let them bathe, nothing. They have them all sleeping on the floor, in a cell, all together," she said. Hunsberger said that for detainees and their relatives, the treatment appears to be deliberate. "They're starting to feel that this is a strategy to wear people down, to have them in these inhumane conditions, and then pressure them to sign something where they could then agree to being deported," she said. pr/hg/ksb

Inmate mistakenly released from New Orleans jail where 10 escaped
Inmate mistakenly released from New Orleans jail where 10 escaped

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Inmate mistakenly released from New Orleans jail where 10 escaped

Authorities in New Orleans say they are on the hunt for an inmate who was released by mistake from the same jail where 10 broke out earlier this year. Authorities don't know whether Khalil Bryan, 30, was aware he was being released by mistake from the Orleans Justice Center on July 25, but said he was being put on notice with the announcement that he is a fugitive, said New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. Bryan was being held on charges including possession of stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer, and also had an active warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse, child endangerment and home invasion, Kirkpatrick said. The error comes as the jail and the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office are still reeling from the escape of 10 inmates in the early morning hours of May 16 when authorities say the inmates exited through a hole in a cell wall after ripping out a toilet. One of those inmates, convicted killer Derrick Groves, has yet to be recaptured. "I do want to make an appeal to Mr. Bryan, even though it was a mistaken release from custody, you are on notice you are a fugitive. I'm going to ask that you turn yourself in," Kirkpatrick said at a news conference, adding that Bryan could face additional charges. The release stemmed from a case of mistaken identity, when Bryan was confused with another inmate with a similar last name, said Sheriff Susan Hutson. Hutson said the jail's system has ways to catch such discrepancies, but the release was due to "human error." An investigation and review of protocols is underway and disciplinary action would be forthcoming, she said. "I want to make a sincere apology to the people of New Orleans. The mistaken release of Khalil Bryan was a serious error and as sheriff I take full responsibility," Hutson said. "I want the public to know this should not have happened. It was a failure of internal processes and the public has every right to expect better." Still, Hutson said mistakes do sometimes happen in a system that processes 11,000 inmates every year. The New Orleans Police Department's violent offender squad was actively searching for Bryan, Kirkpatrick said. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts should contact authorities, she said. Anyone found to be harboring him may also face charges. 1 of 10 inmates still at large in New Orleans jailbreak Groves, 27, is the last remaining inmate who broke out in May still on the run. The last arrest of those fugitives was made in June, nearly six weeks after the escape. Some were nabbed by authorities as far away as Texas. The nine inmates who have been recaptured all pleaded not guilty to charges related to the escape on July 23, the Louisiana Attorney General's Office said. Groves was convicted of two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder in October in connection with a shooting during Mardi Gras in 2018. Groves also has been awaiting sentencing on a manslaughter charge since October. Since the escape, at least 16 other people have been arrested and accused of helping the inmates break out or stay on the run, including family members and at least one jail employee. Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Orleans jail mistakenly releases inmate, manhunt underway

How you can cope — or help others — when disasters strike
How you can cope — or help others — when disasters strike

Yahoo

time10 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

How you can cope — or help others — when disasters strike

At least 135 people, including 37 children, died in the Texas floods over the July 4 holiday weekend. All told, the US sustained 403 weather and climate disasters from 1980–2024, where overall damages and costs reached or exceeded $1 billion. And in the first half of 2025, we experienced 15 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, including tornadoes, hail, wind, and flash flooding from severe thunderstorms. Learn more: How much does flood insurance cost in every state? Earl Johnson wrote a new book about how to cope when those disasters hit home: Finding Comfort During Hard Times: A Guide to Healing after Disaster, Violence, and Other Community Trauma. At the American Red Cross national headquarters, Johnson's responsibilities included preparedness and response to every domestic mass fatality incident since the weeks after 9/11, including transportation incidents, natural disasters, and criminal acts. Here are edited excerpts of our conversation: Kerry Hannon: What was the experience of aiding in a disaster that made this work become your mission? Earl Johnson: 9/11 changed everybody's lives. I moved from lower Manhattan to Arlington, Va., on Sept. 9, 2001. I was in the backyard, and I heard the plane hit the Pentagon. I had training as a hospital chaplain and it kicked in. All of my skills and everything were transferable to a disaster. Hurricane Katrina was my other seminal event. I was with the Red Cross, and we were tasked to open a thousand shelters for a thousand people each in the next 24 hours. It wasn't just a Red Cross response. It wasn't just a federal response. It was everybody, all hands on deck. And we were a team. With the Texas Hill country flooding disaster on our minds, what's the best action for someone to take if you want to give, but you can't be there in person? The temptation for many people is to drop everything and go help the victims. And that's the wrong thing to do unless you have specialized training and also an invitation to go with an official group. The best thing you can do, if you can afford it, is to contribute — give money, but don't give stuff. A lot of times that will just inundate a community. The best thing is to stay, pray, and pay. If you have a specific charity, great. Many people contribute to a faith-based charity or the American Red Cross or Salvation Army. Donations do make a difference, and you are doing something. Sign up for the Mind Your Money weekly newsletter By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy Is this something that you recommend for those who might be retired and have time to volunteer on-site? Yes. But don't wait until the disaster happens. Get your disaster training because there are unique aspects of disasters, and you need to be trained for a specific function whether it be shelter management or mass care feeding. Retirees offer a pool of expertise. How would someone get that training? Well, I'm prejudiced. I love the Red Cross. I spent 10 years responding to disasters with them. They have an excellent volunteer program and training. Why is it so important for everyone to have some sort of a disaster plan in place for their community, home, and business? We never know when there is going to be a catastrophic event. But we have to go on living, and we have to live fully and freely without that kind of anxiety. Making a disaster plan is not only good business, it's also common sense — because that's another way of not only taking care of yourself and your family, it's also taking care of your customers and your business. For example, you should have a "go bag" of things to take with you with a flashlight and solar radio, for example. Build a rainy day emergency fund. Have a disaster communications plan in case there's a blackout or the landlines go down. You write in your book about being on the alert for entrepreneurs and predators and other people coming into a community under the guise of offering help. How do we guard ourselves from being taken advantage of? It's the second wave of the disaster. Good, kindhearted people respond, but also entrepreneurs and predators who want to take advantage of the vulnerable. Do a background check. Check with a local Better Business Bureau, the police department, the Red Cross, local media, and others in your community to find out if they have heard of this group, or were aware that this group has descended upon the community and are going door-to- door offering roof repairs or whatever. A lot of people get victimized because they're already vulnerable, because the emotional and spiritual aspects of disasters are so traumatic. If you are in the disaster zone, you already are vulnerable and you want help and you want assistance. Don't sign anything until they have been checked out. What's the first thing to ask yourself before you head off to a disaster zone to lend a hand? You can't imagine how many people drop everything, get in their car with a couple bags of ice and a couple dozen sandwiches, and drive a thousand miles to help. When I am screening potential volunteers, I would always ask them why they want to respond, so stop and first ask yourself that question. Who's going to take care of your family and pets if you are gone? Do you have two to three weeks that you can donate? You also need to be willing to be managed. You can't be the big hotshot coming down to do your part. You need to take about small disasters? Unemployment can be a disaster for people. Elaborate. There are thousands of everyday disasters. There are house fires, divorce, homelessness, mental health issues, and yes, unemployment. Nothing is more violent and traumatic than unemployment. One day your identity as your job or your vocation that you've contributed so much to is gone. You need to start with considering what gives you hope. What is your source of hope and meaning? Make a fearless personal assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Take that personal inventory, especially because you're devastated when you lose your job. You have to say, wait a minute, I was employed. I have skills, I have learning, and it does have value, and I have made a difference. Talk to people and go deeper and ask them what are the good things they notice about you? What are the things they see that you do well? What's your biggest takeaway from the book for readers? Comfort is essential. Preparedness is caring and taking care of one another. It is a huge gift not only to come in and help people to rebuild their home, but also to be a good neighbor and to be a good listener. You may not have physical things that people need, but you have a good ear, and you can support one another. Disasters are not only physical. They're also emotional and spiritual. For more information on how you can help, check out the Red Cross and FEMA sites. Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist and the author of 14 books, including the forthcoming "Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future," "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work," and "Never Too Old to Get Rich." Follow her on Bluesky. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store