L.A. MAYOR WANTS TOBACCO FUND TO COVER COP SUITS

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mayor Richard Riordan recommended Thursday that Los
Angeles set aside its entire $300 million share of the national tobacco
settlement to cover lawsuits brought by victims of the city's police
corruption scandal.

"This is the best use of these dollars," Riordan said at a news conference.
"Though we have no way of knowing the dollar amount, we must expect and
prepare for tens of millions of dollars of liability."

The mayor said the move would safeguard against possible cuts in city
services or new taxes.

City officials have estimated that lawsuits associated with the scandal in
the police department's Rampart Division will cost at least $125 million.
Lawsuits already have been filed on behalf of some men wrongly imprisoned
police.

Investigators say rogue cops planted evidence, made up testimony, staged
crime scenes and in some cases shot unarmed suspects.

Under the national $206 billion tobacco settlement, Los Angeles is to get
up to $300 million over 25 years.

Also Thursday, 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.

More than 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.

Former undercover officer Rafael Perez, convicted of stealing cocaine from
an evidence locker, has detailed the corruption in his former unit and
suggested it went beyond Rampart.

No charges have been filed against any officers implicated in the
corruption, though police have recommended prosecuting three officers and
Garcetti has said he expects his investigation to result in charges.

Four cities, including Los Angeles, and all 58 counties in the state will
share in the estimated $25 billion California will receive over the next 25
years from the nationwide settlement. The money is intended to repay
states, cities and counties for health care costs associated with smoking.

Riordan said the city does not have a formal spending plan for the money
but it probably would have been spent on anti-smoking programs and street
improvements. His proposal requires approval from the City Council.