‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Driver Sues LAPD For $20M In Racial Profiling & “Excessive Force” Action; Shonda Rhimes Calls Cops Behavior “Unacceptable”
deadline.comThe Los Angeles Police Department is facing a $20 million racial profiling lawsuit from a Grey’s Anatomy driver after officers used “excessive force” against Ernest Simon Jt last year.Occurring during a Tarzana, California location shoot for the Shonda Rhimes created series in March 2021, the incident against the African-American Disney employee tragically resembles far too many similar events by the police in the City of Angels.“March 18, 2021 began as a typical work day for Mr.
Simon, who was working as a driver the production of the popular television show Grey’s Anatomy as an employee of The Walt Disney Company’s General Entertainment Division (“Disney”),” says the filing today in federal court against LAPD, top cop Michel Moore and the City of LA itsef.
His ordinary work day, however, took a drastic turn after Mr. Simon—a thirty-one year old African American male—was targeted by LAPD police officers who, without any legal justification, initiated a racially motivated ‘high risk’ traffic stop,” the jury trial seeking document adds.It should be pointed out that this attack by the police happened right in front of a number of Gray’s crew members at the production’s Basecamp with the two officers pulling out their guns and asserting that the van Simon was driving was stolen.
It should be pointed out that the filing notes that that a production security guard and crew members informed the officers that Simon was a driver on the Gray’s team and the “van had been rented by Disney” to seemingly no avail.
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