Settlement Reached After Police Assault Allegation
The attorney representing a documentary filmmaker who took legal action against the city of Los Angeles for alleged police brutality announced on Wednesday that their client claimed to have been attacked by LAPD officers during protests in 2021.
The settlement was unexpectedly reached after the first day of a civil trial, when plaintiff Vishal Singh received a phone call and was confronted by a man while exiting federal court downtown. Singh’s lawyer, Christian Contreras, identified this individual as prominent livestreamer Thomas Morales, who had a dispute with Singh.
A video shared on social media showed that just after the proceedings concluded on Tuesday, Morales approached Singh, Contreras, and others. In the clip posted on Morales’s Instagram, he questioned Singh about whether he still wanted to “burn LAPD to the ground” and if he was associated with “Antifa.” The line of questioning continued as the group moved away from the courthouse.
Morales did not respond to inquiries sent to his account on X on Wednesday.
Contreras mentioned that Singh was so rattled by this encounter that the legal team requested the judge to declare a false hearing, citing Morales’s intimidation tactics. After the judge dismissed their claim, both parties agreed to an undisclosed settlement, according to Contreras.
Settlements of this nature require final approval from the city council.
Despite the lawsuit concluding in what Contreras described as an “anti-climactic” manner, he maintained that excessive force was used against Singh and others as they filmed police actions. “He was looking forward to bringing this case to a complete resolution at trial, but then this happened,” Contreras reflected. “It’s unsettling, but he wants to move on with his life.”
In his lawsuit and subsequent interviews, Singh explained that he was filming a confrontation between opposing groups outside the Wi Spa on Coronado Street. Bystander footage showed him retreating quickly while following police directions, filming from behind a parked car when officers swung a baton at him, causing injuries including a broken finger and hand.
John Jennal, an executive, claimed he didn’t realize Singh’s raised hand was holding a cellphone.
Adam Rose of the Los Angeles Press Club described Singh as “a figurative and literal punching bag” for far-right militants over the years, expressing relief that the settlement provided recognition and compensation for Singh’s experiences.
Rose noted that Singh’s situation had escalated to the point where he was compelled to withdraw from speaking at an annual Asian American Journalism conference due to threats of online harassment. “It highlights a broader threat affecting all journalists, particularly independent ones,” he commented.
The settlement may also influence other cases brought by press advocates against the LAPD and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding the treatment of journalists covering immigration protests.
