Giovanni Ramirez v. City of Los Angeles

MEMORANDUM

On March 31, 2011, Bryan Stow was severely beaten in the parking lot of Dodgers Stadium. About two months after the incident, the Los Angles Police Department (LAPD) identified Appellant Giovanni Ramirez as the prime suspect. They arrested Ramirez, who was then on parole, and searched his home for evidence connecting him with the beating. Over the course of the LAPD investigation, the Department Chief, Charlie Beck, issued several public statements indicating that Ramirez was their “prime suspect” and “the right guy.” The investigation concluded after three months and Ramirez was declared “factually innocent.” No charges were ever filed against Ramirez.

This 42 U.S.C. § 1983 case, which Ramirez filed against the City of Los Ange-les, Chief Beck, and several Doe defendants, asserts two claims: (1) that Chief Beck and LAPD officers violated Ramirez’s Fourth Amendment rights when they searched his home for evidence connecting him to the Stow beating; and (2) that Chief Beck’s public comments regarding Ramirez violated his right to due process. The Defendants moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6). Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). The…