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Jury awards $1 million to LAPD sergeant





(05-16) 10:50 PDT Los Angeles, CA (AP) --


A jury awarded $1 million to a Los Angeles police sergeant who claimed he faced retaliation for reporting misconduct by a superior officer.


Sgt. James Abbate on Tuesday was awarded the money for emotional distress and future lost earnings.


Abbate claimed he was targeted after reporting to his superiors in 2009 that Capt. Ruben De La Torre had evaded tolls for several months during his commutes to work on state Route 91.


"It's unfortunate it had to come to this level, but it had to in order to get any relief," Abbate, 54, told City News Service outside court.


Abbate, who has about three decades with the LAPD, also said he did not expect the verdict would affect his ability to perform his duties at the West Los Angeles police station, where he is an assistant watch commander.


During final arguments on Monday, Deputy City Attorney Daniel Aguilera called the lawsuit "a money grab" and said Abbate deserved the reprimands he received.


The LAPD and city attorney's office declined comment after the verdict, citing a possible appeal, the Los Angeles Times ( http://lat.ms/KrlFLz) reported.


Abbate said he was told by another officer that De La Torre put duct tape over his rear license plate to avoid express lane toll road cameras. When asked about the tape, De La Torre said his grandchildren had put it on the plate, Abbate's suit contended.


The suit also claimed that after raising concerns with various officers, including a deputy chief, Abbate was switched from evening shift to days, and that made it difficult to care for his mother.


Abbate also received two neglect-of-duty complaints, said his attorney, Gregory W. Smith.


Abbate was cleared of wrongdoing, but De La Torre changed those findings to sustain the complaints, Smith claimed.


De La Torre resigned last year in the midst of an LAPD internal investigation.


The Associated Press could not immediately reach De La Torre for comment. Smith said De La Torre lived in Murrieta, but there was no phone listing for him in that city.