Does LAPD have no bounds? New Lawsuit from Priest alleges LPAD Brutality

In a lawsuit that has horrified the community, Father Armen Bagramyan, an Armenian Priest, has alleged that he was struck and kicked in the chest by an LAPD officer.

Father Bagramyan, 55, is a retired priest at the Armenian Apostolic Church. In July, he was at a demonstration outside the Azerbaijani Consulate in Brentwoodwhen the officer hit him in the stomach with a tactical gun, and then kicked him while he was struggling to maintain balance.

The father claims that this was an incident of excessive force and a violation of his civil rights that resulted in his being sent to the UCLA medical center via an ambulance. This was especially hurtful to him as he had actually helped the police with pacifying the crowd and assisting officers throughout the day.

Video of the incident clearly shows the officer strike Bagramyan in the stomach, who then bends forward. The officer then kicks him in the chest, which makes the surrounding crowd angry. One man can even be heard yelling, “A f****n priest?”

Bagramyan’s Attorney, Greg Kirakosian, a civil rights attorney in Los Angeles, says that the priest had been caught completely off guard by the officer’s brutalist action, and grabbed the gun while he was falling over. “He grabs the object that just pummeled his stomach.”, and proceeds to describe the officer kicking him in the manner of Leonidas, from the movie “300”.

A spokesman for the LAPD indicated that the incident was being investigated, but would not comment on the lawsuit.

The protest where the incident occurred was organized by the Armenian Youth Federation. They marched into the consulate of Azerbaijan, but were met by a group of counter-protestors from Azerbaijan, which caused the event to turn violent. This follows an earlier incidence of violence, in Tavush, Armenia, where allegations of territorial encroachment have rocked the border between the two countries.

According to Bagramyan, he was doing his best to help the people, trying to maintain peace and deescalate tensions between the two groups. He never was a threat to the police officers; rather he continuously attempted to help them by maintaining peace with the protestors. He even provided them water, prayed with them, and spoke to them to find out their concerns, claims the lawsuit.

Father Bagramyan claims he suffered “severe pain, bruising and internal injuries” due to the encounter, and is suing for damages. The LAPD continues to investigate the incident. The best civil rights lawyers in Los Angeles are eagerly awaiting the outcome in a case that is sure to add to the growing tide of police brutality in the country.

If you have been in a similar incident, you are urged to contact a Civil Rights Lawyer in Orange County. Your action could help your whole community.

These blogs are meant purely for educational purposes. They contain only general information about legal matters. They are not legal advice, and should not be treated as such. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter you should consult with an attorney.