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AGrey’s Anatomycrew member filed a federal lawsuit for $20 million against the Los Angeles Police Department and city of L.A. for allegedly racially profiling and assaulting him while he was working on the set of the drama series.
Multiple officers allegedly forced Simon “to lie prone on an asphalt lot at gunpoint for over 20 minutes, using an overwhelming and unjustified show of force,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states that “given that there was no reason to suspect Mr. Simon of committing any crime or traffic violation, the decision to pursue Mr. Simon — based solely on the fact that he was an African American male lawfully driving in the predominantly white neighborhood of Tarzana, California — constitutes racial profiling and discrimination in violation of Mr. Simon’s rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and California law.”
Simon’s job entails driving crew members and talent between theGrey’s Anatomy’s filming location and the production’s base camp in Tarzana, Calif., the document states.
Instead of heeding those pleas from crew members, the officers allegedly yelled at them to “get out of the line of fire,” according to the lawsuit.
Stephen G. Larson, co-lead counsel for Simon, called LADP’s alleged actions “wrongful and illegal” in astatement.
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Larson said Simon was in “fear that he was about to be shot at his workplace in front of his co-workers for simply being a Black man in the wrong neighborhood.”
“This lawsuit seeks to right those severe wrongs inflicted upon our client,” he added. “But it also addresses a larger issue — accountability for the persistent and systematic mistreatment of Black people at the hands of police in Los Angeles and across the country.”
A spokesperson for the LAPD declined PEOPLE’s request for comment while the lawsuit is pending.
Grey’s AnatomycreatorShonda Rhimessaid the alleged incident was “unacceptable.”
“It was another example of a broken system that puts valuable lives in danger and damages spirits,” she told PEOPLE. “Shondaland stands with Mr. Simon and his family in this complaint.”
source: people.com
