California State Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a press conference at the Stockton Police Department in downtown Stockton concerning the results of Operation Hybrid Havoc which targeted guns and gangs in the Stockton area. Gungangpresser 096a
Los Angeles, California – Los Angeles County has agreed to pay $2.7 million to a teenager who was brutally assaulted by a group of other youths while detained at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, in a beating allegedly orchestrated and encouraged by probation officers. The payment, announced Monday, is part of a broader reckoning with a juvenile justice system under fire for systemic abuse, neglect, and failures in oversight.
The boy, who was 16 at the time of the 2023 attack, was one of more than 140 minors identified as victims of what prosecutors have called a campaign of “gladiator fights” staged by correctional officers. Surveillance footage of his beating shows at least six other youths attacking him in sequence while multiple officers stand by—some even appearing to greet participants with handshakes.
The assault came to public attention after the Los Angeles Times published the video. During a subsequent court hearing, a public defender argued for the teen’s release, citing the risk to his safety if he remained in custody. He is now 17.
In March, a state grand jury indicted 30 Los Angeles County probation officers for their roles in orchestrating nearly 70 fights between July and December 2023. Charges include child abuse, endangerment, battery, and conspiracy. State Attorney General Rob Bonta called the events “organized,” with evidence suggesting that guards deliberately chose the times and locations to allow the beatings to occur.
“This wasn’t incidental,” Bonta said after the charges were filed. “This was systemic.”
The county’s investigation cited numerous failures: delays in medical care, failure to notify the boy’s parents, and a lack of basic monitoring protocols. In response, the Probation Department pledged reforms, including staffing CCTV monitoring and auditing surveillance footage. Yet critics argue that administrative fixes don’t address the deeper cultural issues that allowed the abuse to flourish.
Attorney Jamal Tooson, who represents the teen and other youth allegedly abused in LA County custody, said the settlement is just a beginning. “This is a first step in acknowledging the egregious behavior of those sworn to protect vulnerable children,” Tooson said. “But it’s not enough. There’s a culture problem.”
Tooson has filed 19 lawsuits alleging abuse and negligence in LA County’s juvenile system, including sexual assault by staff. In April, a judge ruled that Los Padrinos could no longer house youth. In May, the county approved a plan to relocate more than 100 minors from the facility.
