The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department conducted a secret investigation into a Los Angeles Times reporter who wrote about a leaked list of problem deputies. The investigation began in 2017 under former Sheriff Jim McDonnell to determine who leaked the list of approximately 300 names to reporter Maya Lau. The case was dropped, but under Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s administration in 2018, the investigation was revived.
The department accused Maya Lau of receiving “stolen property” and alleged that Diana Teran, the department’s constitutional policing advisor, was the source of the leak. However, the Attorney General’s office declined to prosecute the case in May 2021, citing insufficient evidence. This caused outrage among journalists and advocates for free speech and government transparency.
The leaked records dated back to 2014, when Teran began compiling a Brady List of officers with disciplinary issues. The list was leaked to the media, prompting an internal investigation. The investigation into Lau was closed, and the Sheriff’s Department stated that they no longer surveil reporters under the leadership of Sheriff Robert Luna.
The investigative case file also detailed how the department targeted other journalists in the past, including LAist reporter Josie Huang and another Times journalist in a criminal leak investigation. These cases raised concerns about press freedom and the chilling effect of criminal investigations on journalists.
Overall, the investigation into Maya Lau and the leaked list of problem deputies shed light on the challenges journalists face when reporting on sensitive issues involving law enforcement. It also highlighted the importance of upholding press freedom and the First Amendment rights of journalists to report on matters of public concern without fear of criminal prosecution.