A Child's Death? "Can't do anything about that," says City attorney (Los Angeles, California)

We've posted (briefly) on this case before. Here we shift the focus from the dad--who took his child hostage and was eventually gunned down with the child by the Los Angeles Police Department--to the City officials who were busy high-fiving each other when the lawsuit against the city was dismissed.

Ever wondered if certain officials in high places are basically assholes who couldn't care less about the slaughter of children, or whether it's just your imagination? Carmen Trutanich, the LA City attorney, proves it's not just your imagination.

Trutanich shakes up City Hall, and not everyone is high-fiving
August 9, 2009 10:37 am

Carmen Trutanich is shaking up City Hall. Some people call the new Los Angeles city attorney a bully who is throwing his weight around. Others say he's just what city government needs right now. In any case, it's clear he's doing things differently.

And Maeve Reston captures his personality with this scene from her profile of Trutanich:

Carmen Trutanich was being interviewed at the start of his fifth full week as Los Angeles city attorney when the door of his eighth-floor office at City Hall East swung open.

A deputy stepped in to deliver the news of his administration's first win: dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a 19-month-old girl killed when police stormed a South L.A. auto shop. They had returned fire on her father, who was holding the child in his arms.

It was a delicate matter, but Trutanich's first reaction was to show pride in his team's work. He hugged and high-fived his deputies, offering one of them a cigar from a wooden box at the back of his office. A Times photographer captured the scene.

A more seasoned elected official might have tempered his response in front of two journalists. But Trutanich likes to refer to himself as a "dude" and "not a politician."

Over the next few minutes of the interview -- as his chief deputy, William Carter, gently interrupted at least three times to note how emotional the child's death was -- Trutanich alternated between his sadness as a father and indignation that the family had sued police, who he said followed procedure and tried to rescue the child.

"Bottom line is," the city attorney said rapping his knuckles on his desk, "what a great day for L.A."

"Sad for the family," Carter interjected.

"Sad for the family," Trutanich echoed. "But you know, you know what, it's not. L.A. should have never been sued, period."

Carter spoke up again: "Well, it's sad for the child's -- "

"Well, I can't do anything about that. That's history," Trutanich said, cutting in. "But you know my job is doing the city's work. We did our job."