Los Angeles Webster Commission records, 1931-1992

Interview, Hal Bernson, 1992-08-13

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Interview, Hal Bernson, 1992-08-13

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Content I
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
- CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED
ATTORNEY-CLIENT COM MUNI CATION
AND ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Richard J. Stone, General Counsel and Staff Director
Belinda Smith Walker and Margaret Levy
August 13, 1992
July 14, 199, interview with Councilman Hal Bernson
ABSTRACT
Councilman Bernson believes that the LAPD was too restrained in the
early phase of the civil disorder. Had police response been stronger,
lives and property would have been saved. He is not certain where the
problem lay in the LAPD management. He does believe that the
political atmosphere prior to the . verdict caused the police to use more
restraint than they otherwise might have.
RECORD NO. \ \qa
COPY ci OF 4'
I
CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED
ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION
AND ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
To: Richard J. Stone, General Counsel and Staff Director
From: Belinda Smith Walker and Geoffrey L. Thomas
Date: August 13, 1992
Subject: Interview Antonia Hernandez, President and Director
of the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF)
ABSTRACT
Ms. Hernandez believes that in the months preceding the verdict in the King
beating trial, the LAPD was incapable of formulating a plan for community
unrest. She bases her opinion on information obtained in February, 1992, while
serving on the review panel for the LAPD Chief finalists. She will check with
the District Attorney's Office to see if she can share her information with us.
Ms. Hernandez thinks that oversight of LAPD is impossible because of LAPD
spying on members of the Police Commission, City Council and the Mayor. The
police response to the civil unrest was inadequate due to the failure of LAPD
leadership, starting with Gates though not attributable solely to him.
The civil unrest was ·caused by racial and social injustice, aggravated by
devastating economic conditions. The judicial system was the last hope for
fairness and in this case it failed. Only a small part of the looting resulted
from "criminal elements." Pico-Union and South Central have recent,
impoverished immigrants who took daily necessities because in their war
torn countries these usually disappeared from stores during civil unrest.
The riots show that something is very wrong with the distribution of goods and
services in our society. L.A. represents the future of our country. We need to
invest the necessary resources and effort to build a community that works well
for all its people and connecting its diverse parts.
RECORD NO.
COPY ~
\ \9 \
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter, Hampton
Since 1927
To: Richard L. Stone
From: James L. Sanders
MEMORANDUM
Date: August 6, 1992
File: Webster
Study/Interagency
Group
Re: Summary/Captain James, Carson Sheriff's Station
SUMMARY
This was an interview with Captain James of the Los
Angeles county Sheriff's Department, Carson Station. This
interview focuses on the use of the Carson station as a staging
area for Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department employees and
on the communications between the Carson station and other Los
Angeles County Sheriff's office locations. on July 8, 1992, at
approximately 9:30 a.m., Anna Ho and I interviewed Captain
James. The following memorandum is a summary of our
recollections of this meeting, including our questions and
comments together with our mental impressions, conclusions and
opinions based upon that meeting.
RECORD NO.
\ \ q 5
COPY
a
OF (o
2\S\M013203E.LU8
-1-
I
To:
From:
SHARENOW & CORBIN
LAWYERS
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
MEMORANDUM
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATfORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Office of Special Advisor,
Richard J. Stone
Leonard Sharenow
Julie Huffman
Date:
Re:
August 17, 1992
Interview of California
Highway Patrol
Commissioner, Maury
Hannigan
File: WEBSTER STUDY/lnteragency Group
Summruy of Interview
On August 10, 1992, Julie Huffman and I intetviewed California Highway Patron
Commissioner Maury Hannigan. This intetview was conducted by conference call, since
Commissioner Hannigan, who is based in Sacramento, has recently returned from an
extended medical leave.
This intetview focused on the planning of the CHP with regard to potential civil
disturbances arising from the Rodney King trial.
C:\DOOWEBSTER\MEM0.13 -1-
1<9.03 RECORD NO.
COPY ~
OF (p
/.
~
- --
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION AND ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
CASE:
WEBSTER STUDY FILE
TERESA R. BARRERA
AUGUST 12, 1992
WEBSTER COMMISSION
RE: SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW WITH FBI SPECIAL AGENT-IN
CHARGE JAMES AHEARN
on August 6, 1992, FBI Special Agent In Charge James
Ahearn of the Phoenix Field Office of the FBI was inter
viewed by Teresa Barrera and Joel Cohen, Legal Assistant.
The focus of the interview was to discuss the coordination
between the FBI and LAPD during the riots. Mr. Ahearn was
dispatched to Los Angeles on May 1, 1992 and during the
following week he acted as daytime shift commander of the
FBI's Command Center.
This summary and the following memorandum reflects our
recollection of the interview, as well as our mental impres
sions, conclusions and opinions.
RECORD NO.
COPY a
MEM17\92·65.12
/
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION AND ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
CASE:
RE:
WEBSTER STUDY FILE
TERESA R. BARRERA
AUGUST 12, 1992
WEBSTER COMMISSION
SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW WITH FBI SENIOR ASSISTANT
SPECIAL AGENT-IN-CHARGE GARY LISOTTO
On August 7, 1992, FBI Senior Assistant Special Agent
In Charge Gary Lisotto was interviewed by Teresa Barrera and
Joel Cohen, Legal Assistant. The focus of the interview was
to discuss the coordination between the FBI and LAPD during
the riots. Initially, Lisotto•s role was to arrange lodg
ing, transportation and related matters for the federal law
enforcement officers being dispatched to Los Angeles.
However, he also helped supervise the FBI Command Center
during the riots. Lisotto did not have any direct contact
with LAPD.
This summary and the following memorandum reflects our
recollection of the interview, as well as our mental impres
sions, conclusions and opinions.
MEM17\92·65.11
RECORD NO.
COPY ~ OF (o
/
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION AND ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
CASE:
RE:
WEBSTER STUDY FILE
TERESA R. BARRERA
AUGUST 12, 1992
WEBSTER COMMISSION
SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW WITH FBI ASSISTANT SPECIAL
AGENT-IN-CHARGE JERRY THORTON
On August 7, 1992, FBI Assistant Special Agent In
Charge Jerry Thorton was interviewed by Teresa Barrera and
Joel Cohen, Legal Assistant. The focus of the interview was
on the coordination between the FBI and LAPD during the
riots.
For the most part, Thorton acted as an advisor to
Special Agent In Charge Buck Revell and Assistant Director
James Mueller. He fell into this role because of his rou
tine coordination with LAPD as part of the violent crime
investigation section o. f the FBI.
This summary and the following memorandum reflects our
recollection of the interview, as well as our mental impres
sions, conclusions and opinions.
RECORD . NO. 1aoo
COPY a OF (p
MEM17\92·65.10
f
To:
From:
SHARENOW & CORBIN
LAWYERS
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
MEMORANDUM
PRNILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Office of Special Advisor,
Richard J. Stone
Leonard Sharenow
Date:
Re:
August 13, 1992
Interview of Los Angeles
Police Department
Commander, Banyan Lewis
File: WEBSTER STUDY/lnteragency Group
Summary of Interview
On August 6, 1992, at 8:00 a.m., Richard Rosenthal, Scott Edelman and Leonard
Sharenow interviewed Banyan Lewis, lAPD Commander, Uniform Services Group,
Headquarters Bureau. This interview was conducted at Parker Center.
This report of interview focuses on the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations
Organization and its task of preparing the City's response to emergencies.
C:\DOC\ WEBSTER\MEM0.11 -1-
RECORD NO. I 1qq
COPY d OF (p

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Description

Interview of Councilman Hal Bernson on 1992 July 14, published on 1992 August 13.

Asset Metadata

Core Title Interview, Hal Bernson, 1992-08-13

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest

Format 8 p. (format), application/pdf (imt), Interviews (aat)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/webster-c100-42533

Unique identifier UC11410212

Identifier box 24 (box),web-box24-13-04.pdf (filename),folder 13 (folder),webster-c100-42533 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier web-box24-13/web-box24-13-04.pdf

Dmrecord 42533

Format 8 p. (format),application/pdf (imt),Interviews (aat)

Type texts

Tags

Folder test

Inherited Values

Title Los Angeles Webster Commission records, 1931-1992

Description Chaired by former federal judge and FBI and CIA Director William H. Webster, the Los Angeles Webster Commission assessed law enforcement's performance in connection with the April, 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest. The collection consists of materials collected and studied by the Commission over the course of its investigation. Materials pertain to both the Los Angeles incident specifically, and civil disturbance, civil unrest control, and policing tactics in general.

Included in the collection are the following: interviews with LAPD officers, law enforcement personnel, government officials, community leaders, and activists; articles, broadcasts, and press releases covering the civil unrest; various tactical and contingency plans created for disasters and emergencies; reports, studies, and manuals about civil unrest control and prevention; literature about community-based policing strategies; emergency plans and procedures developed by other cities; and after-action reports issued once the civil unrest had subsided. Also featured are items related to the internal operations of the LAPD both before and during the civil unrest, including activity reports, meeting agendas and minutes, arrest data, annual reports, curricula and educational materials, and personnel rosters.

See also the finding aid (https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/2266).

See also The Los Angeles Riots: The Independent and Webster Commissions Collections (https://scalar.usc.edu/works/the-los-angeles-riots-christopher-and-webster-commissions-collections/index).

Related collections in the USC Digital Library:

? Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department, 1991 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/2251)
? Richard M. Mosk Christopher Commission records, 1988-2011 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/393)
? Kendall O. Price Los Angeles riots records, 1965-1967 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/979)
? Watts riots records, 1965 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/83)

Thanks to generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the USC Libraries are digitizing this collection for online public access.

Coverage Temporal 1931/1992