GREEN & SHINEE v. Superior Court

Here we conclude that reports prepared by police officers in the performance of their duties are not protected by the attorney-client privilege.

The law firm of Green & Shinee attempts to appeal an order by the trial court that releases documents seized from the law film’s offices and sealed by a special master pursuant to Penal Code section 1524, subdivision (c). We treat the purported appeal as a petition for writ of mandate. (People v. Superior Court (Bauman & Rose) (1995) 37 Cal.App.4th 1757, 1761-1762 [ 44 Cal.Rptr.2d 734 ].) We consider the merits of the petition and deny it.

Facts

During the evening of January 19, 1999, off-duty deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department attended a hockey game. Thereafter, Deputies Gary Gerlach, Ivan Chavez, Guillermo Morales, and Craig Roberts went to Tam’s Restaurant in Lynwood. Inside the restaurant, a patron began to harass and threaten them, stating: “I don’t give a fuck if you[’re] a cop or a fireman. I’ve got two strikes and I’ll kick your white ass.” Earlier, restaurant employees noticed the patron harassing other customers.

The patron suddenly punched Deputies Gerlach and Chavez, causing them minor…