BLM lawyer's house searched, work product allegedly taken

January 28, 2024 8:12 AM

An attorney for Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles leader Melina Abdullah is demanding that the Los Angeles Police Department return or destroy any privileged attorney-client records officers may have photographed while searching his Hollywood home this week. (LA Times, not paywalled for me but if it is for you I'll try to find another link) Less info but same story at AP
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee (16 comments total)

Webarchive link
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 8:32 AM on January 28

Thanks for posting this, I read this one last night (thanks Metafilter for suggesting I add the LATimes to my news rotation - great coverage). The story is completely perplexing and should honestly be more widely reported on. The police said that they were looking for a young man and an air tag has pinging from that address, but they would not share the full search warrant (only last two pages). They showed up with a battering ram, ready to go. They photographed privileged attorney-client documents related to a case against..the police. This is bananas.
posted by Toddles at 9:00 AM on January 28 [6 favorites]

The standard for getting a warrant on a defense attorney is supposed to be higher as well, isn't it?
posted by corb at 9:02 AM on January 28 [6 favorites]

The most recurrent delusion in American political life is that fascists will lets norms, laws, or morals get in the way of what they want to do.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 9:11 AM on January 28 [41 favorites]

The standard for getting a warrant on a defense attorney is supposed to be higher as well, isn't it?

"Givens said armed LAPD officers showed him a warrant that listed his address but not his name"
posted by ryanrs at 9:24 AM on January 28 [5 favorites]

See, the warrant was against the house. You know, like when they sue your money so they can have it instead.
posted by tigrrrlily at 9:31 AM on January 28 [13 favorites]

A local judge signed that warrant. A judge that would have likely recognized the name Dermot Givens, but probably wouldn't know his home address.

That judge might be pretty mad at these LAPD officers right now.
posted by ryanrs at 10:06 AM on January 28 [16 favorites]

Someone from the Mayor's office will have to treat him to a nice dinner.
posted by tigrrrlily at 10:15 AM on January 28 [5 favorites]

Dumb question - can the lawyer simply cannot appeal for a mistrial?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:54 PM on January 28

What trial? I didn't see mention of a trial.


But when I searched for that, I found "Melina Abdullah loses lawsuit" turns up a number of different stories, including one where she's recently been ordered to pay 6-digit attorney fees to...BLM?
posted by ryanrs at 1:44 PM on January 28

Maybe EmpressCallipygos meant any trial involving client documents that might've been captured in the raid?
posted by Riki tiki at 2:58 PM on January 28

Florida:dumbasses::LAPD:corruption
posted by ZenMasterThis at 3:37 PM on January 28 [1 favorite]

Not mutually exclusive
posted by gottabefunky at 4:04 PM on January 28 [2 favorites]

See, the warrant was against the house

You know idk, before I put a warrant out against the house I might want to check the property records, but what the fuck do I know, I'm just a future defense attorney so i guess this is what I have to look forward to.
posted by corb at 5:21 PM on January 28 [9 favorites]

an Apple AirTag they said was pinging in the vicinity of the home

I was under the impression police did not bother with stolen property reclamation, so this is pretty suss.
posted by pwnguin at 1:03 AM on January 29 [11 favorites]

Per the AP story, it does appear the judge ordered at least some of the seized evidence destroyed or returned.

BLM is not a monolith. Abdullah heads up a breakaway group that got into litigation with the main group, lost, then got hit with a fee award.
posted by snuffleupagus at 1:01 PM on January 29