A prominent member of the Civilian Oversight Commission, which monitors the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, has resigned amid allegations of interference from county attorneys. Sean Kennedy, who has served on the commission since its establishment, announced his decision following a contentious meeting regarding the prosecution of Diana Teran, a former advisor to ex-District Attorney George Gascón, who is currently facing six felony charges.
Kennedy’s resignation comes in the wake of a special commission meeting where members discussed filing an amicus brief in Teran’s case. Teran is accused of violating state hacking laws by sharing court records related to sheriff’s deputies’ alleged misconduct. The California Attorney General’s office alleged that she accessed confidential disciplinary files during her previous employment with the Sheriff’s Department and later shared this information unlawfully.
During the commission meeting, Kennedy expressed concerns that the Sheriff’s Department was using Teran’s case as a pretext to withhold critical documents from the oversight body. He noted that the department’s leadership had indicated a reluctance to provide confidential documents due to fears of prosecution, as seen in Teran’s situation. The commission ultimately voted to allow Kennedy to file the brief, asserting their right to do so independently.
However, county attorneys quickly countered, asserting that the commission lacked the authority to file the brief without approval from the Board of Supervisors. They warned that if Kennedy proceeded, it would be deemed a misrepresentation of the commission’s position. Despite this, Kennedy and Robert Bonner, the commission’s chair, filed the brief anyway, prompting Kennedy’s resignation shortly thereafter.
In his resignation letter, Kennedy criticized the County Counsel for attempting to control the commission’s oversight functions, stating that their interference was inappropriate, especially given the history of misconduct within the Sheriff’s Department. He emphasized the need for the commission to operate independently to fulfill its mandate effectively.
Bonner, while expressing regret over Kennedy’s decision, indicated that he would attempt to persuade him to reconsider. He characterized the county’s effort to block the brief as a minor issue in the broader context of the commission’s work.
The Office of County Counsel declined to comment on the matter, and the California Department of Justice did not provide an immediate response. Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Department is seeking legal clarity regarding the sharing of confidential personnel records with the commission’s ad hoc committees, which operate under different transparency requirements than the full commission.
The case against Teran has drawn significant attention, with various legal experts and organizations expressing concerns about the implications of her prosecution on the oversight of law enforcement. Critics argue that the case could hinder the commission’s ability to obtain vital information necessary for its oversight functions, ultimately affecting public accountability.
As this situation unfolds, it raises important questions about the balance of power between oversight bodies and the entities they are meant to monitor, particularly in the context of ongoing discussions about police accountability and transparency in Los Angeles County.