County of Los Angeles v. Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission

The Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of the County's petition for writ of mandate, challenging the suppression of intercepted calls recorded by the sheriff's department in a prior criminal investigation against a sheriff's department detective. During a subsequent civil service commission hearing, the sheriff's department attempted to use the intercepted calls during the administrative proceeding. The court held that the court order did not authorize the disclosure and use of the wiretap evidence at the detective's administrative hearing before the civil service commission. The court also held that the wiretap evidence could not be disclosed and used at the administrative hearing without a court order. The court reasoned that, even if the state statutes relied upon by the County did not require that law enforcement obtain judicial authorization prior to disclosure or use, the County could not satisfy the conditions imposed by the cited statutes. View "County of Los Angeles v. Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission" on Justia Law