On July 29, 2024, LAPD Officer Luther Lordeus and his partner, Officer Joshua Sportiello, conducted a traffic stop on a man for double parking. During the encounter, the officers removed the man from his vehicle, leading to a verbal exchange. The suspect had his hands restrained behind his back with two pairs of handcuffs and did not appear to be resisting.
It was then that Officer Sportiello punched the restrained suspect in the face, breaking the man’s nose. Despite being present, Officer Lordeus failed to intervene—a requirement under the law. AB 26 requires an officer must intercede when witnessing another officer using excessive force.
LAPD officer Luther Lordeus fails to intervene when his partner assaults suspect
