LAPD LAWSUIT DEALS STRUCK.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office has negotiated settlements of lawsuits filed by 29 victims of the LAPD's Rampart Division scandal for an average of nearly 400,000 each, officials announced Monday.

The settlements, subject to City Council approval, total $10.95 million to resolve nearly one-third of all the cases filed to this point. More than 60 other cases, some involving victims who were killed or seriously injured, remain unresolved along with class-action suits against the city that are expected to push the total cost above $100 million.

The cases involved in the settlements, all represented by attorney Gregory Yates, involve people who were sentenced to jail on falsified evidence by Rampart Division officers for a few months up to three years.

In a letter to the City Council, aides to City Attorney James Hahn asked the council's Budget and Finance Committee to consider the settlements Wednesday, with the full council to consider the cases next week.

``We think these are fair settlements and good for them and for the city,'' said Tom Hokinson, chief assistant city attorney over civil litigation.

Included in the cases is that of Destiny Ovando - the daughter of Javier Ovando, the most noted victim of allegations of police abuse out of the Rampart scandal - and her mother, Monique Valenzuela.

Javier Ovando was paralyzed after being shot by officers and sentenced to prison on falsified evidence - a case that is likely to be the costliest.

The Rampart Division case stems from accusations by former Officer Rafael Perez, who said he and other members of a now-disbanded anti-gang unit assaulted and planted evidence on gang members and lied in court to win convictions against them.

Hokinson said there have been 91 suits filed against the city so far, and the settlements being recommended were all cases involving people represented by Yates.

Yates said he agreed to the settlements after months of negotiations with the city. Attorney Johnny Cochran assisted him in the negotiations.

``It was in the interests of the clients and certainly the interests of all the people, including the citizens of Los Angeles, that this matter be resolved, short of going to trial,'' Yates said.

``The agony and the expense that the clients would be exposed to and the humiliation to all parties because of the acrimonious facts would be a situation that could present risks on all sides that might be avoided by settlement.''

Yates said the settlement involves all existing cases he has filed against the city, but others might be forthcoming. In addition, he is involved in a class-action suit against the city.

Hokinson said individual settlement figures were not available since they would have to be approved by the council and a federal judge.

However, the figures - if applied to the remaining cases - would leave the city in far better financial shape than previously expected although the Ovando and other cases could dramatically increase the costs.

Councilman Mike Feuer, chairman of the council's Budget and Finance Committee and also a member of the city's Rampart Working Group reviewing the cases, said he believes the proposed settlement is in everyone's interest.

``I think this proposal strikes a good balance between protecting the taxpayers' dollars and in providing justice,'' Feuer said. ``This is an example of the city's willingness to deal directly with these and reach closure as soon as possible.''

As chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee, Feuer was instrumental in having the city set aside $30 million in the current budget to deal with the Rampart cases.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who chairs the council's Public Safety Committee and is a member of the Rampart Working Group, said the cases represent a cross-section of those that have been filed.

``We are encouraged that we are able to work with such a large number of cases,'' Miscikowski said. ``The interesting thing is we have such different plaintiffs, some who have spent up to three years in jail and some with little jail time.

``I don't want to be overly optimistic, but I think we had some good negotiations,'' she said.

So far, the city has paid out $400,000 to three other people as a result of the Rampart case.