L.A. ATTACKED OVER PLAN TO PAY OFF POLICE LAWSUITS WITH TOBACCO MONEY

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Richard Riordan's plan to sacrifice up to $300
million from the national tobacco settlement to pay for a barrage of
anticipated lawsuits stemming from an ongoing police-corruption
scandal has quickly come under fire.

"The money from the tobacco settlement . . . is supposed to save
lives, not save face," said Dr. Richard Corlin, a Santa Monica
physician and speaker of the American Medical Association's House of
Delegates.

"It is corrupt in and of itself to steal the tobacco-settlement money
to pay off the price of political problems and police corruption,"
Corlin said yesterday.

Some members of the City Council said the money already is earmarked
for street improvements mandated by the federal Americans With
Disabilities Act.

City officials have estimated that lawsuits associated with the city's
burgeoning police-corruption scandal - in which officers are accused
of beating, framing and even shooting innocent people - could cost at
least $125 million.

Riordan said yesterday that the city can avoid breaking its budget,
reducing services or raising taxes if it raises about $100 million in
bond money by giving up three times that amount in tobacco-settlement
money it will receive over 25 years.

"This is the best use of these dollars," he said.

"This would allow us to cover our liabilities for the first several
years, I believe, and I hope our total liabilities. We're not forced
to take a big hit right away."

Under the national $206 billion tobacco settlement, Los Angeles is to
get up to $300 million over 25 years. The money is intended to repay
states, cities and counties for health-care costs associated with smoking.

Riordan said that the city does not have a formal spending plan for
the money but that it probably would have been spent on anti-smoking
programs and street improvements.

Under the proposal, which requires approval from the City Council, Los
Angeles would issue bonds backed by the tobacco settlement in order to
get money in a lump sum, instead of in the payment stream over 25 years.

Meanwhile yesterday, a judge agreed to throw out the convictions of
nine more people whose cases prosecutors say were tainted by police
misconduct. The dismissals bring to 40 the number of convictions overturned.

"We have dozens of more cases under review," District Attorney Gil
Garcetti said.

As many as 20 officers have been relieved of duty, fired, suspended or
have quit since the investigation started last fall. Police have
refused to say how many officers are still under suspicion.

Garcetti said he is doubling the number of prosecutors assigned to the
investigation, with a staff of 19 expected to be on board within the
next two weeks.