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Kevin Gaines (police officer)
Encyclopedia
Kevin Lee Gaines was an officer assigned to the infamous Los Angeles Police Department
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
unit implicated in the Rampart Scandal
.
Gaines had ties to Death Row Records
, the Bloods
, and dated Suge Knight
's ex-wife. He was shot and killed on March 18, 1997, by undercover LAPD officer Frank Lyga
, who was determined to be acting in self-defense. At the time of his death, Gaines was 31 and a seven year veteran of the force.
The shooting of a black
officer by a white officer fueled racial tensions and prompted a media frenzy. The Gaines family hired celebrity lawyer Johnnie Cochran
to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles
for $25,000,000. After the city exonerated Officer Lyga, they settled for $250,000.
The investigation into Gaines's behavior provided the first clues to the widespread police corruption of the Rampart Scandal.
mansion. Gaines, off duty, showed up at the scene and initiated an altercation with the responding officers. The officers handcuffed Gaines when he became verbally abusive and provocative. According to police records, Gaines shouted epithets like "Tell these motherfuckin' assholes to take the cuffs off of me, motherfucker!" and "I hate fucking cops."
Gaines claimed he was mistreated by the police and hired an attorney to file a claim against the city. When LAPD Internal Affairs
investigated the incident, they discovered the 911 call had actually been made by Kevin Gaines. Investigating officer Russell Poole
, who later became deeply involved in investigating the Rampart Scandal, claimed that "the evidence suggests that he did that to engage LAPD in a confrontation and basically wanted to secure a pension or whatever by filing a lawsuit."
Falsely reporting a crime is a criminal offense and technically should have warranted Gaines' removal from the force. Moreover, the home was owned by Sharitha Knight, the estranged wife of Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight, a known member of the Bloods. However, Internal Affairs, which was run by Deputy Chief Bernard Parks, did not pursue any further investigation at that time. Parks would go on to become Chief of Police, and actively work to suppress the investigation of corrupt Rampart officers. In fact, Parks's questionable handling of the Rampart investigation, and suppression of information, would eventually lead investigating officer Russell Poole to quit the force in protest.
Poole's investigation revealed that Gaines's lifestyle went far beyond the means of a $55,000 a year LAPD cop. Gaines drove a Mercedes
and wore designer suits. Detectives found nine credit card
s among Gaines's belongings, as well as a receipt for a $952 restaurant tab. The restaurant tab was for Monty's Steakhouse, a Westwood
hangout for members of Death Row Records.
Investigators later pieced together that Gaines and other convicted Rampart officers, such as David Mack
and Rafael Pérez
, earned high salaries working off-duty as security for Death Row Records. Death Row Records was under investigation by the FBI
since 1993 for its strong ties to Compton
's Mob Piru Bloods gang.
wrote an article for StreetGangs.com Magazine in which he claimed Detective Poole and the LAPD deliberately covered up the true circumstances of Kevin Gaines's death. Bentley alleges that Detective Lyga had a history of being over-aggressive with African American suspects, and hailed from the same West Los Angeles police station that produced Mark Fuhrman
, a station that Bentley believes to be racist. Bentley claims that Lyga was overheard bragging in the lobby of this police station that Internal Affairs had told him they would do everything possible to defame Officer Gaines to clear Lyga of wrongdoing.
Bentley further notes that Lyga claims Gaines pointed a gun at him with his right hand, when in fact Gaines was left-handed. Bentley asserts that Poole actively worked to suppress investigation into the shooting, filing a personnel complaint against an African-American officer who began second-guessing Poole's investigation. Bentley, an African American, published a "tell-all" book entitled Honor Without Integrity in 2004, which details how he engaged in much of the same behavior both on and off-duty as the convicted Rampart Cops, during his own tenure with the LAPD.
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums
Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums, usually known by the acronym C.R.A.S.H., was an elite, but controversial special operations unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. It was established by then-chief Daryl Gates to combat the rising problem of gangs in Los Angeles, California...
unit implicated in the Rampart Scandal
Rampart Scandal
The Rampart scandal refers to widespread corruption in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums anti-gang unit of the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Division in the late 1990s. More than 70 police officers in the CRASH unit were implicated in misconduct, making it one of the most...
.
Gaines had ties to Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
, the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, and dated Suge Knight
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
's ex-wife. He was shot and killed on March 18, 1997, by undercover LAPD officer Frank Lyga
Frank Lyga
Frank Lyga was an officer in the Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department known for shooting and killing Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer Kevin Gaines...
, who was determined to be acting in self-defense. At the time of his death, Gaines was 31 and a seven year veteran of the force.
The shooting of a black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
officer by a white officer fueled racial tensions and prompted a media frenzy. The Gaines family hired celebrity lawyer Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie Cochran
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. was an American lawyer best known for his leadership role in the defense and criminal acquittal of O. J...
to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for $25,000,000. After the city exonerated Officer Lyga, they settled for $250,000.
The investigation into Gaines's behavior provided the first clues to the widespread police corruption of the Rampart Scandal.
First evidence of corruption
Evidence of Officer Gaines's corrupt behavior first surfaced in the summer of 1996. Police responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting at a Hollywood HillsHollywood Hills
The Hollywood Hills is an affluent and exclusive neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, in the southeastern Santa Monica Mountains. It is bound by Laurel Canyon Boulevard to the west, Vermont Avenue to the east, Mulholland Drive to the north, and Sunset Boulevard to the south.-Hollywood Hills...
mansion. Gaines, off duty, showed up at the scene and initiated an altercation with the responding officers. The officers handcuffed Gaines when he became verbally abusive and provocative. According to police records, Gaines shouted epithets like "Tell these motherfuckin' assholes to take the cuffs off of me, motherfucker!" and "I hate fucking cops."
Gaines claimed he was mistreated by the police and hired an attorney to file a claim against the city. When LAPD Internal Affairs
Internal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
investigated the incident, they discovered the 911 call had actually been made by Kevin Gaines. Investigating officer Russell Poole
Russell Poole
Russell Poole is a former LAPD detective most noted for taking over the investigation of the slain rapper known as The Notorious B.I.G.. Poole is also known for investigating the March 18, 1997, killing of LAPD Officer Kevin Gaines by LAPD Officer Frank Lyga....
, who later became deeply involved in investigating the Rampart Scandal, claimed that "the evidence suggests that he did that to engage LAPD in a confrontation and basically wanted to secure a pension or whatever by filing a lawsuit."
Falsely reporting a crime is a criminal offense and technically should have warranted Gaines' removal from the force. Moreover, the home was owned by Sharitha Knight, the estranged wife of Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight, a known member of the Bloods. However, Internal Affairs, which was run by Deputy Chief Bernard Parks, did not pursue any further investigation at that time. Parks would go on to become Chief of Police, and actively work to suppress the investigation of corrupt Rampart officers. In fact, Parks's questionable handling of the Rampart investigation, and suppression of information, would eventually lead investigating officer Russell Poole to quit the force in protest.
Further evidence of corruption
Robbery-homicide detective Poole was assigned to investigate the Lyga-Gaines shooting, and uncovered disturbing information about Gaines' off-duty behavior. Poole discovered that the green Mitsubishi Montero SUV Gaines was driving the night of his death was registered to Sharitha Knight. Poole soon discovered that Gaines and Knight were romantically involved and living together when he was shot.Poole's investigation revealed that Gaines's lifestyle went far beyond the means of a $55,000 a year LAPD cop. Gaines drove a Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
and wore designer suits. Detectives found nine credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
s among Gaines's belongings, as well as a receipt for a $952 restaurant tab. The restaurant tab was for Monty's Steakhouse, a Westwood
Westwood, Los Angeles, California
Westwood is a neighborhood on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles .-History:...
hangout for members of Death Row Records.
Investigators later pieced together that Gaines and other convicted Rampart officers, such as David Mack
David Mack (police officer)
David Anthony Mack , is a former LAPD Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer. He is one of the central figures in the LAPD Rampart police corruption scandal. Mack was arrested for masterminding the November 6, 1997, robbery of $722,000 from a South Central Los...
and Rafael Pérez
Rafael Pérez (police officer)
Rafael Antonio "Ray" Pérez , is a former Los Angeles Police Department C.R.A.S.H officer and the central figure in the LAPD Rampart Scandal. He was involved in the coverup of a $722,000 bank robbery, shot and framed Javier Ovando, and stole and resold at least $800,000 of cocaine from LAPD...
, earned high salaries working off-duty as security for Death Row Records. Death Row Records was under investigation by the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
since 1993 for its strong ties to Compton
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
's Mob Piru Bloods gang.
Skepticism
In March 2003, former LAPD officer Brian S. BentleyBrian S. Bentley
Brian S. Bentley is an author and a former Los Angeles Police Department officer. His first book, One Time: The Story of a South Central Los Angeles Police, graphically depicts his involvement in the cover-up of suspect beatings...
wrote an article for StreetGangs.com Magazine in which he claimed Detective Poole and the LAPD deliberately covered up the true circumstances of Kevin Gaines's death. Bentley alleges that Detective Lyga had a history of being over-aggressive with African American suspects, and hailed from the same West Los Angeles police station that produced Mark Fuhrman
Mark Fuhrman
Mark Fuhrman is a former detective of the Los Angeles Police Department , known for his part in the investigation of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman and his subsequent felony conviction for perjury...
, a station that Bentley believes to be racist. Bentley claims that Lyga was overheard bragging in the lobby of this police station that Internal Affairs had told him they would do everything possible to defame Officer Gaines to clear Lyga of wrongdoing.
Bentley further notes that Lyga claims Gaines pointed a gun at him with his right hand, when in fact Gaines was left-handed. Bentley asserts that Poole actively worked to suppress investigation into the shooting, filing a personnel complaint against an African-American officer who began second-guessing Poole's investigation. Bentley, an African American, published a "tell-all" book entitled Honor Without Integrity in 2004, which details how he engaged in much of the same behavior both on and off-duty as the convicted Rampart Cops, during his own tenure with the LAPD.