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Russell Poole

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Russell Wayne Poole (November 29, 1956 – August 19, 2015) was a Los Angeles Police Department detective who investigated the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace), a rapper also known as Biggie Smalls. Poole also investigated the killing of LAPD Officer Kevin Gaines by LAPD Officer Frank Lyga on March 18, 1997. After retiring in 1999, he formed a private detective agency.

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61-574: The son of a 27-year L.A. County Sheriff , Poole would "follow in his father's footsteps" and join the LAPD in 1981. He rose quickly, becoming a detective trainee only three years after being sworn in. Before being chosen to work in the Robbery-Homicide division in 1996, he spent over nine years as a homicide investigator at the South Bureau and Wilshire Division. He served as the primary investigator (taking

122-704: A Los Angeles Times analysis found that in 44,000 bike stops for drugs and weapons (since 2017) that 85% were searched without reason and that the overwhelming majority of stops were non-white individuals. There are allegedly at least 18 active deputy gangs within the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The 1992 Kolts Commission report said they were found "particularly at stations in areas heavily populated by minorities—the so-called 'ghetto stations'—and deputies at those stations recruit persons similar in attitude to themselves." Former Sheriff Alex Villanueva , who according to Los Angeles County Court documents,

183-513: A federal court of interfering with a federal grand jury investigation of the county jail. In 2011, the officers obstructed an FBI undercover operation which was using an inmate informant to report on brutality and misconduct by jail deputies. Overall, a total of 21 LASD officers were convicted or pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, falsifying reports, bribery, and firearm violations. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

244-767: A heart attack at the Monterey Park office of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on August 19, 2015. Poole was portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 2018 film City of Lies . In 2018, Jimmi Simpson starred as Poole in Unsolved: Tupac & Biggie , a ten-part series originating on the USA Network , also on Netflix . IndieWire praised the "elevated artistry" of Simpson's performance, while Vulture.com commented in their review: "In an ensemble this solid, it can be challenging for one performance to emerge as

305-454: A 9mm blue-steel pistol, and fired several rounds into the GMC Suburban; four bullets hit Wallace in the chest. Wallace was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by Combs and the rest of Wallace's entourage, but was pronounced dead by doctors at 1:15 a.m. After months of investigating, Poole accused LAPD Officer David Mack , along with Mack's friend, Amir Muhammad, of being complicit in

366-542: A May 2008 traffic stop. Fitzpatrick has a long history of similar complaints against him during his career with the LASD. The department agreed to pay the woman $ 245,000. In January, 2012 Jazmyne Ha Eng was shot and killed by Deputy Brian Vance outside a mental-health center in Rosemead , where she was a patient . Vance said Eng charged him and the other three deputies on the scene with a hammer , making them fear for their lives. Eng

427-610: A case all the way through to trial) on at least 135 homicide cases, and assisted on over 500 more cases. A noteworthy case investigated personally by Poole before the Rampart scandal includes the murder of Ennis Cosby , son of comedian Bill Cosby . He also was one of the officers involved in the investigation into the North Hollywood shootout , just days before the murder of the Notorious B.I.G . Throughout his career up to his involvement in

488-409: A federal jury awarded $ 200,000 to a 69-year-old man who had his rib broken by two sheriff's deputies attempting to arrest him in 2009. The jury also ordered Deputy Mark Collins to pay punitive damages of $ 1,000. In October 2013, Deputy Mark Eric Hibner, was convicted by a jury of two counts of domestic violence and three counts of making threats. In December 2013, Deputy Michael Anthony Grundynt

549-574: A fourth, beating him severely. Montebello Police arrived on the scene and broke up the fight; however, no arrests were made. The '3,000 Boys' is a name referring to a gang of L.A. County Sheriff's Deputies and Jailers who have been involved in the beatings and organized fights of inmates in the 3,000 block of the Men's Central Jail in Downtown Los Angeles . In May 2011, six deputies were suspended without pay (pending termination and criminal prosecution) for

610-466: A handgun and falsely imprisoning her. In July 2011, the department agreed to pay a half million dollars to the family of 16-year-old Avery Cody Jr. Cody was shot by Deputy Sergio Reyes in 2009. Reyes made several statements under oath that were disproven by video of the incident. The department then agreed to settle, but admitted no guilt. In October 2011, Deputy Mark Fitzpatrick was convicted of an on-duty sexual assault and false imprisonment during

671-468: A history of racial profiling, police brutality , police corruption , and other misconduct. From the 1970s to today, numerous gangs have been known to operate within the LASD. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which was founded in 1850, was the first professional police force in the Los Angeles area. The all-volunteer, Los Angeles-specific Los Angeles Rangers were formed in 1853 to assist

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732-435: A mechanism to reach out to inner city community health issues as well as provide a new area for research in the effectiveness in vaccinations and screenings. The Los Angeles County Jail system incarcerates a large number of minority inmates. Victor Rios argues that a new era of mass incarceration has resulted in the development of a youth control complex. This complex resulted from a network of racialized criminalization, and

793-575: A member of the Cavemen. Former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka , who also served as the mayor of Gardena, California , is identified as a member of the Lynwood Vikings , and was convicted of federal obstruction charges in 2014. In July 2021, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters called for a United States Department of Justice investigation into allegations that a violent deputy gang known as the Executioners

854-618: A prisoner in 2006. The three men were sentenced to various periods of parole and resigned from the department. In December 2010, members of a widely known gang-like group of L.A. County Sheriff's Deputies known as 'The 3,000 Boys' were involved in a violent fight in the parking lot of the Quiet Cannon Restaurant in Montebello . An anonymous call made to the Montebello police department reported three Sheriff's Deputies were holding down

915-486: A shooting, glorifying the incident. It drew comparisons to the problematic Rampart Division of the LAPD in the 1990s, who had the same tattoo. In June 2012, Deputy Rafael Zelaya was sentenced to six months in jail for stealing drugs from someone while on duty. In July 2013 Eugene Mallory was fatally shot in his house while the police alleged that he ran a meth lab , no such drugs were found in his house. In July 2013,

976-405: A standout. But Simpson's does because he so carefully calibrates Poole's intensity, dialing it up by slight degrees in each episode until he's radiating with panicky determination ... Simpson physically and emotionally illustrates [the character's] internal struggle beautifully". Los Angeles County Sheriff%27s Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department ( LASD ), officially

1037-505: Is Los Angeles County Jail's K6G unit, which is intended to be a separate unit for gay-identified men and transgender women . Although it has been shown that this unit is successful through its lower rates of sexual violence , the creation and systematics of this unit have sparked controversy. In order to be admitted into the K6G unit, inmates must prove that they are gay . However, those who identify inmates as homosexual individuals eligible for

1098-486: Is sometimes confused with the similarly-named but separate Los Angeles Police Department which provides law enforcement services within the city of Los Angeles, which is the county seat of Los Angeles County, although both departments have their headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. The department's three main responsibilities are to provide municipal police services within Los Angeles County, courthouse security for

1159-648: Is the largest sheriff's department and the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States . There are approximately 17,926 employees; over 9,972 sworn deputies and 7,954 non sworn members (professional staff). Bernard C. Parks Bernard C. Parks (born December 7, 1943) is an American politician who served as a member of the Los Angeles City Council , representing the 8th district in South Los Angeles from 2003 to 2015. A member of

1220-578: The COVID-19 pandemic , the LASD refused to enforce mask mandates. LASD Sheriff Alex Villanueva also refused to enforce a vaccine requirement for LASD staff, stating that large parts of the LASD would refuse to comply with it and he would "lose 5, 10% of [the LASD] workforce overnight on a vaccine mandate." In November 2021, Villanueva said only 42% of LASD staff were vaccinated against COVID-19. The Los Angeles County Jail provides short-term incarceration services for

1281-662: The County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department , is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California . LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States and the third largest local police agency in the United States, following the New York Police Department , and the Chicago Police Department . LASD has approximately 18,000 employees, 9,915 sworn deputies and 9,244 unsworn members. It

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1342-583: The Democratic Party , Parks served as Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from August 1997 to May 2002. Parks is a graduate of Daniel Murphy High School and attended Los Angeles City College and received a bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University . He earned a Master's Degree in public administration from the University of Southern California . During his tenure, the LAPD

1403-634: The Men's Central Jail and the Twin Towers Correctional Facility (taken together) ranked as one of the ten worst jails in the United States, based on reporting in Mother Jones magazine. One of the issues the jails faced was with visitation, exemplified by an event in the Men's Central Jail. Twenty-three-year-old male Gabriel Carillo was severely beaten and pepper sprayed by a deputy in Men's Central Jail on Saturday, February 26, 2012. Carillo

1464-561: The Superior Court of Los Angeles County , and housing and transportation services of inmates within the county jail system. The LASD provides municipal police services to the unincorporated communities and 42 of the 88 cities within Los Angeles County. In addition to its primary responsibilities, LASD contracts with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metrolink . The LASD has

1525-672: The federal court to take over the Lynwood Station, home of a deputy gang known as the Lynwood Vikings . A federal judge described the Lynwood Vikings as a neo-Nazi and white supremacist gang. Los Angeles blog outlet Knock LA has published a database of hundreds of LASD employees found in court documents to be associated with deputy gang activity, including names of officers, gang affiliation, case number, deputy/badge/serial number, and department title. The database includes Undersheriff Timothy Murakami, identified in court documents as

1586-728: The Century Regional Detention Facility or the Lynwood Jail, is located in Lynwood, California . The Los Angeles County Jail incarcerates about 200,000 individuals each year, and with such large numbers, the jail has faced numerous problems with its facilities. In 1988, a scandal erupted after a Los Angeles jailhouse informant demonstrated that he was able to engineer false confessions to murder from inmates he had never met before. In California, jailhouse informants have most frequently been used in murder cases. In May 2013,

1647-515: The K6G unit rely on stereotypes constructed by society about gay men. This procedure prevents homosexual men who are not open about their sexuality, particularly those of color, from coming out as gay for fear of abuse if they do so. Serious health concerns have begun to arise with the issue of mass incarceration in the Los Angeles County Jails. Several organizations and scholars have analyzed random samples of prisoners with illnesses and

1708-629: The LASD was the "Little Devils" in an internal memo in 1973, although they are believed to have been involved in the death of Los Angeles Times reporter and law enforcement critic Ruben Salazar during the National Chicano Moratorium March against the Vietnam War on August 29, 1970. They operated out of the East Los Angeles station and sported tattooed caricatures of a small, red devil on their left calves. They were known at

1769-630: The LASD. They were soon succeeded by the Los Angeles City Guards, another volunteer group. Neither force was deemed efficient and Los Angeles became known for its violence, gambling and "vice". On December 15, 2009, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 to merge the Los Angeles County Office of Public Safety into the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The merger took place on June 30, 2010. During

1830-575: The Rampart scandal, Poole was a highly respected and decorated LAPD detective. Poole's involvement in the Rampart scandal began less than six months before Wallace's murder and a year before Rafael Pérez was arrested. His involvement started when Poole and his Robbery/Homicide unit partner Fred Miller were assigned to investigate the March 1997 Studio City shooting death of plainclothes LAPD Officer Kevin Gaines. Gaines

1891-415: The beating of Evans Tutt, an inmate who had been filing complaints about living conditions within the jail. In January 2011, Deputy Patricia Margaret Bojorquez was sentenced to a year in custody for making a false police report against her husband and recklessly firing a gun in her home. In April 2011, Deputy Sean Paul Delacerda was convicted of breaking into a woman's home kidnapping, assaulting her with

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1952-506: The break room. Carillo got into a verbal altercation with officers and claimed he was then assaulted by them. Following the controversy, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca announced that the Men's Central Jail could be closed. Construction of a new jail has been proposed to replace the Men's Central Jail. Another challenge that the Los Angeles County Jail faces is violence within the jail community. Related to this issue

2013-612: The department collapsed due to "the intimidation tactics of the LASD". A summary of the allegations claimed that captains in the department were ordered to collect $ 10,000 from each towing contractor doing business with the department. The payments were used as contributions to political causes favored by the sheriff. In December 2009, the L.A. Times reported that L.A. County Auditor-Controller Wendy L. Watanabe's office found 348 deputies worked more than 900 hours of overtime between March 2007 and February 2008. This would equal an extra six months of full-time work. The audit found that over

2074-683: The entire county, including Los Angeles , Glendale , Burbank , and Long Beach , all of which have their own police departments. The Men's Central Jail (MCJ) and Twin Towers Correctional Facility (TTCF) are located in a dense cluster next the rail yard northeast of Union Station . The North County Correctional Facility (NCCF) is the largest of the four jail facilities located at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, California . The Los Angeles County Women's Jail, known as

2135-518: The family home of GLOW professional wrestler Emily Dole , also known professionally as Mt. Fiji, in Cerritos, California during a bridal shower for Dole's sister, Melinda. Much like the Rodney King incident two years later, the event was videotaped by a neighbor, Doug Botts, showing the sheriffs beating the family. Despite her imposing physique, Dole remained in a passive stance with her arms folded in

2196-462: The healthcare that they receive while incarcerated. The American Public Health Association claims that some of these prisoners suffer from a variety of other disorders. They also state that more than 30% of their sample group had a severe mental disorder or a substance use disorder . The detainees that were diagnosed with severe mental disorders or substance use were often in jail because they had committed nonviolent crimes. An issue that arises with

2257-488: The incarceration of individuals with mental disorders is that they must be tested for competency before they can be put on trial, which can leave inmates in jail for longer than necessary. Richard Lamb and Robert W. Grant conducted a similar study of 101 women that are imprisoned in the Los Angeles County Jail system. In this study, they concluded that 70% of them had traumatizing experiences of physical violence , 40% of these women were involved in prostitution , and 84% of

2318-590: The large proportion of prisoners with significant mental illness, few of these Los Angeles County Jail inmates receive adequate mental health treatment. However, mental illnesses have been and are currently being studied in the Los Angeles County Jail. For instance, several researchers studied Bipolar I disorder and found that a way to decrease the number of inmates with the disorder is by having them participate in longer psychiatric hospital stays. One solution to this issue could be opt-out screening and vaccinations for STIs and other infectious diseases, which has

2379-450: The last five years, the department had exceeded its overtime budget by an average of 104 percent for each year. In September 2009, Mitrice Richardson was observed in a Malibu , California restaurant experiencing an apparent mental health crisis. She made statements regarding being from Mars and avenging the death of Michael Jackson , and was unable to pay her restaurant bill. Out of concern for her mental health, restaurant staff called

2440-455: The middle of the street, where the video showed her being beaten to the ground with police batons and flashlights . All 34 members of the party, all Samoan, were beaten and arrested. The Samoan-American community was angered, contending the incident was racist in nature. The family sued the Sheriff's Department and won a $ 23 million settlement. In 2006, an investigation into corruption at

2501-529: The murder of Christopher Wallace. Poole claimed he had enough evidence to prove Mack had ties to the CEO of Death Row Records , Marion "Suge" Knight . He suspected Mack and possibly other officers took part in the murder. Poole had sources that confirmed Mack was raised in the same Compton neighborhood, and was in the same gang as Knight (the Bloods). Mack was a frequent visitor at Knight's private parties, and frequently wore

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2562-519: The new hires had lied on their applications. Fifteen of the new deputies cheated on the department's polygraph test. About 200 of the new deputies and guards had been disqualified by other law enforcement agencies for misconduct or having failed qualification tests. The department launched an investigation of how the media found out about the flawed hiring process. In September 2010, three deputies (Humberto Magallanes, Kenny Ramirez and Lee Simoes) pleaded no contest to charges related to their beating of

2623-467: The order to end the Mack investigation early and forced retirement, Poole later stated that "I almost took my life, but it was my kids that actually saved me." Furthermore, he filed a lawsuit against the LAPD for violating his First Amendment rights by preventing him from going to the public with his findings. Poole, as a private investigator, continued independently investigating Wallace's murder on his own. He

2684-404: The potential to improve health conditions in jail and in surrounding communities. This can be accomplished by providing health care that many inmates, especially impoverished blacks and Latinos, would not receive otherwise. In addition, the implementation of this action would decrease the spreading of diseases from the jail to home communities. Using opt-out screenings and vaccinations can be used as

2745-424: The punishment arrived from institutions of authority that patrolled and incapacitated Black and Latino youth. Rios concludes that it is not policing but the harsh policing of inner cities that marks young people from their early years, effectively stigmatizing them through negative credentials before they have an opportunity to acquire the more positive forms demanded for participation in mainstream society. In 2021,

2806-737: The same style and color (red) clothes as Knight and the Bloods gang. Much of Poole's investigation was used as the basis for Randall Sullivan 's book, LAbyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implication of Death Row Records' Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles Police Scandal. The book formed the basis for the highly anticipated 2018 film City of Lies , starring Johnny Depp as Poole. The film

2867-419: The seat on the Los Angeles City Council for Council District 8 representing South Los Angeles . He also unsuccessfully ran for the post of mayor in the 2005 elections , coming fourth in the primary. In 2008, Parks unsuccessfully sought to succeed Yvonne Brathwaite Burke on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors , losing to Mark Ridley-Thomas in a runoff election . Term limits forced Parks out of

2928-513: The sheriffs, who arrested her. She was subsequently released by sheriffs at 12:38am, with no means to access her car, phone, money or any means of caring for herself. Her naked skeletal remains were discovered approximately eleven months after her disappearance. The county settled with the family for $ 900,000. According to the Los Angeles Times , in 2010, the department hired almost 300 new officers. The department later discovered about 100 of

2989-560: The streets were crowded with cars full of people leaving the event. Wallace's truck stopped at a red light 50 yards (46 m) from the museum. While waiting for the light to change, a white Toyota Land Cruiser made a U-turn and cut in between Wallace's vehicle and the Chevrolet Blazer behind. Simultaneously, a dark Chevrolet Impala pulled up alongside Wallace's SUV. The driver of the Impala, an African-American male, rolled down his window, drew

3050-495: The time to have at least 47 members. The "Wayside Whities" operated out of the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center throughout the 1980s, their alleged mission being to "bring to heel" any incarcerated black men, especially those who fought with white prisoners. Following years of police violence in the city of Lynwood , over two dozen civil rights attorneys compiled claims and filed a class action lawsuit in 1990, in which they asked

3111-486: The women with children were incapable of taking care of them. In addition, there were more mentally ill men in jail than there were women. In a study of male inmates, there appeared to have been issues of the " criminalization " of those whom were mentally ill. An issue that resides in these studies is that there is uncertainty when trying to determine if these prisoners receive any beneficial treatment. In response to this issue, Dr. Terry Kupers mentions that when considering

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3172-534: Was 40 years old, weighed 93 pounds and stood five feet one inches tall. An internal investigation ruled the killing justifiable, but in February 2014, the county agreed to pay $ 1.8 million to settle the matter. In May 2012, part of the Gang Enforcement Team was accused of being a clique called "Jump Out Boys" after a pamphlet was discovered indicating that members would receive a tattoo after being involved in

3233-647: Was a member of the "Banditos" deputy gang himself, has announced a "zero tolerance" policy to curb what he refers to as "deputy cliques." Villanueva has never acknowledged membership in the Banditos deputy gang, but has admitted to being a member of the "Cavemen" while stationed in East Los Angeles . A 2020 county inspector general report concluded that the Banditos gang at the East LASD station were "gang-like and [that] their influence has resulted in favoritism, sexism, racism and violence." The first deputy gang acknowledged by

3294-494: Was included in a 2001 interview with VH1 in the documentary film Biggie & Tupac released in 2001 by British documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield . Tupac:187 , written by Richard RJ Bond, Michael Douglas Carlin, with a contribution by Russell Poole, is an alternate theory in the murder of Tupac Shakur . While discussing the Wallace and Tupac Shakur cases for an upcoming nonfiction book, Chaos Merchants , Poole died of

3355-538: Was killed in a road rage dispute after he brandished a gun at another motorist, who turned out to be undercover officer, Frank Lyga. On March 9, 1997, at around 12:30 a.m., Wallace, Bad Boy Records CEO Sean Combs , and their entourage left the 11th Annual Soul Train Music Awards after-party, held at the Petersen Automotive Museum , in two GMC Suburbans to return to his hotel after an announcement

3416-426: Was made that the party would finish earlier than planned. Biggie traveled in the front passenger seat of the second Suburban alongside his associates, Damion "D-Rock" Butler, Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease and driver, Gregory "G-Money" Young. Combs traveled in the first vehicle with three bodyguards. The two vehicles were trailed by a Chevrolet Blazer carrying Bad Boy's director of security. By 12:45 a.m.,

3477-524: Was released on December 8, 2018, at the Noir film festival. Poole sent his findings to the then-chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Bernard C. Parks , who ordered Poole to cease all investigations of Officer David Mack. In protest of Parks' and the LAPD's handling of the case, Poole reluctantly and in protest resigned a day before retirement from the department in late 1999. Distraught from

3538-457: Was rocked by a corruption and police brutality scandal involving the elite C.R.A.S.H. anti-gang unit of the Rampart Division in the overwhelmingly Latino Pico-Union and Westlake districts. The Police Commission, under Commission President Rick J. Caruso did not recommend Parks for reappointment as police chief. Parks was succeeded as chief by William Bratton . In 2003, Parks won

3599-719: Was running the Compton station of the LASD. In October 1969, LASD deputies bungled a drug raid in Whittier along with officers from the California State Bureau of Narcotics and one officer from nearby Vernon . The team went to the wrong address . In the confusion, the Vernon officer, Detective Sergeant Frank Sweeny, fired his rifle. The bullet went through the floor of the apartment and killed Heyden Dyer who lived downstairs. On February 11, 1989, deputy sheriffs in riot gear invaded

3660-481: Was sentenced to three years probation for a fleeing the scene of an accident in 2011. He had been driving while drunk. In March 2014, Deputy Jose Rigoberto Sanchez pleaded no contest to one count each of rape under color of authority and soliciting a bribe. He was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison. His rapes happened in 2010 while he was on duty. In July 2014, six correctional officers (two deputies, two sergeants and two lieutenants) were convicted by

3721-493: Was there with his girlfriend, Grace Torres, to visit his younger brother. Both Torres and Carillo illegally brought their cell phones into the jail and were caught in possession of the phones. Torres hid her cell phone in her boot and snuck it into the visitor's lobby despite signs prohibiting doing so, while Carillo claimed he forgot to remove his cell phone from his pocket. The deputies confiscated both phones shortly after, handcuffed Carillo, and took both Carillo and Torres into

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