Chemerinsky Leaves Rampart Panel Over Conflict of Interest, Misunderstanding

Settling a burgeoning conflict-of-interest flap, former USC law professor Erwin Chemerinsky said Monday that he has agreed to leave a blue-ribbon panel investigating the Los Angeles Police Department's handling of the Rampart corruption scandal. Chemerinsky, a constitutional law scholar, signed on a few weeks ago to serve as a pro bono expert for the plaintiffs in 12 federal lawsuits stemming from the scandal, in which anti-gang officers from the Rampart division were accused of beating and framing suspects and covering up illegal shootings. [more]