1 00:00:15,371 --> 00:00:15,890 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:21,411 --> 00:00:24,171 Speaker 2: This series includes content that may not be suitable for 3 00:00:24,211 --> 00:00:30,970 Speaker 2: all listeners. Listener discretion is advised. Previously, on Valley of Shadows, 4 00:00:33,011 --> 00:00:33,571 Speaker 2: he said that. 5 00:00:33,531 --> 00:00:36,891 Speaker 3: He received information that Ingles was a dirty cop and 6 00:00:36,931 --> 00:00:40,011 Speaker 3: he assisted Tom with his mess sales and his meth labs, 7 00:00:40,851 --> 00:00:43,411 Speaker 3: and the relationship was that they had their own little 8 00:00:43,491 --> 00:00:46,891 Speaker 3: enterprise out there in Para Blossom and it was narcotic sales, 9 00:00:47,411 --> 00:00:50,571 Speaker 3: manufacturing and illegal firearm distribution. 10 00:00:51,731 --> 00:00:52,691 Speaker 4: So we rolled out. 11 00:00:52,531 --> 00:00:54,811 Speaker 5: With twenty three different searchboard teams. 12 00:00:54,851 --> 00:00:59,611 Speaker 6: DAFBI SWAT and then simultaneously hit these doors across the valley. 13 00:01:00,451 --> 00:01:04,251 Speaker 3: We took down five out of six cells that nobody 14 00:01:04,251 --> 00:01:07,131 Speaker 3: else could. These are names that I knew for fifteen 15 00:01:07,211 --> 00:01:09,810 Speaker 3: years that nobody could get to jail, and we took 16 00:01:09,890 --> 00:01:11,011 Speaker 3: him all to jail federally. 17 00:01:24,371 --> 00:01:26,611 Speaker 1: I was wondering if you could tell us about your 18 00:01:26,691 --> 00:01:27,530 Speaker 1: wall over here. 19 00:01:27,851 --> 00:01:30,090 Speaker 3: I just put up some of the plaques that I 20 00:01:30,251 --> 00:01:33,611 Speaker 3: received some awards and makes me feel good. 21 00:01:33,611 --> 00:01:38,651 Speaker 1: On solialth again, in his home near his handbuilt bar, 22 00:01:39,291 --> 00:01:42,090 Speaker 1: Darren Hagar has a wall covered with mementos from his 23 00:01:42,171 --> 00:01:46,090 Speaker 1: career in law enforcement, and it includes a sendoff from 24 00:01:46,171 --> 00:01:49,131 Speaker 1: the Operations Silent Thunder team. 25 00:01:49,091 --> 00:01:52,171 Speaker 3: It's like a going away present, so your whole group 26 00:01:52,691 --> 00:01:54,891 Speaker 3: that you worked with would sign it as a farewell. 27 00:01:56,251 --> 00:02:00,051 Speaker 1: Operation Silent Thunder completes one of the biggest drug busts 28 00:02:00,091 --> 00:02:03,651 Speaker 1: in the Antelope Valley and then disbands in two thousand 29 00:02:03,691 --> 00:02:08,171 Speaker 1: and one, but not without a little fanfare. Hagar and 30 00:02:08,210 --> 00:02:11,571 Speaker 1: his task force buddies received nearly a dozen awards for 31 00:02:11,650 --> 00:02:12,131 Speaker 1: their work. 32 00:02:12,851 --> 00:02:15,651 Speaker 3: That's an award I got from the Mayor of Los Angeles. 33 00:02:16,691 --> 00:02:17,251 Speaker 4: This is a. 34 00:02:19,011 --> 00:02:21,451 Speaker 3: Da flew us back to Washington, d C. To receive 35 00:02:21,491 --> 00:02:25,811 Speaker 3: the Administrator where it's the second highest award, but nothing 36 00:02:25,851 --> 00:02:29,131 Speaker 3: from nothing from the Sheriff's Department. 37 00:02:32,931 --> 00:02:37,451 Speaker 1: The LASD doesn't share in the accolades. One of Hager's 38 00:02:37,451 --> 00:02:42,171 Speaker 1: superiors even orders him not to attend the DEA Awards ceremony. 39 00:02:42,851 --> 00:02:45,050 Speaker 3: He goes, Darren, I'm telling you, I'm giving you a directory. 40 00:02:45,091 --> 00:02:47,131 Speaker 3: You're not going I go chief, do what you want. 41 00:02:47,251 --> 00:02:48,411 Speaker 3: He can come arrest me in DC. 42 00:02:48,531 --> 00:02:49,171 Speaker 4: I'm going to that. 43 00:02:50,411 --> 00:02:53,171 Speaker 1: There's a photo of Hagar at the ceremony, but his 44 00:02:53,251 --> 00:02:57,971 Speaker 1: facial expression doesn't match the occasion. His eyes are fiery 45 00:02:58,211 --> 00:03:01,531 Speaker 1: and ringed with dark circles. I mean, it is a 46 00:03:01,651 --> 00:03:03,370 Speaker 1: very intense look that you have on your faith. 47 00:03:03,811 --> 00:03:07,411 Speaker 3: I'm not happy in any of these pictures. I knew 48 00:03:07,411 --> 00:03:08,451 Speaker 3: it was coming down the pike. 49 00:03:11,091 --> 00:03:14,250 Speaker 1: After silent Thunder wraps Hagar, hears through the rumor mill 50 00:03:14,411 --> 00:03:18,891 Speaker 1: that his days at the LASD are numbered. When he 51 00:03:18,931 --> 00:03:24,731 Speaker 1: eventually gets his walking papers, Hagar's shattered in my heart. 52 00:03:24,771 --> 00:03:27,051 Speaker 3: I know I didn't do anything wrong to be fired 53 00:03:28,131 --> 00:03:30,291 Speaker 3: dismantled the way they did on purpose. 54 00:03:31,851 --> 00:03:35,811 Speaker 1: Homicide detective Larry Brandenburg calls his old pal as soon 55 00:03:35,851 --> 00:03:36,891 Speaker 1: as he hears the news. 56 00:03:37,931 --> 00:03:39,531 Speaker 3: He goes, I'm coming right over, and I go if 57 00:03:39,571 --> 00:03:42,731 Speaker 3: I'm still around, knock yourself out. He goes, don't you 58 00:03:42,771 --> 00:03:43,651 Speaker 3: do anything stupid. 59 00:03:43,691 --> 00:03:44,691 Speaker 4: I'll be right there. 60 00:03:45,531 --> 00:03:48,731 Speaker 3: He came hauling us up and we just sat here 61 00:03:48,771 --> 00:03:51,451 Speaker 3: and had some chocolate milk and talked. 62 00:03:53,811 --> 00:03:57,051 Speaker 1: Brandenburg shows up for Hagar in his moment of crisis 63 00:03:58,011 --> 00:04:01,091 Speaker 1: because he understands what it's like to have your reputation 64 00:04:01,251 --> 00:04:05,571 Speaker 1: smeared by the department. How did your friendship with Brandenburg 65 00:04:05,731 --> 00:04:09,411 Speaker 1: kind of evolve after you were termed? 66 00:04:11,411 --> 00:04:14,491 Speaker 3: We became closer, the families got together, and then we 67 00:04:14,971 --> 00:04:16,691 Speaker 3: got in the buffalo business and all that. 68 00:04:18,251 --> 00:04:22,051 Speaker 1: This is when Hagar turns cowboy and starts a buffalo 69 00:04:22,091 --> 00:04:26,090 Speaker 1: farm with Brandenburg. They've got their word cut out for them, though, 70 00:04:26,371 --> 00:04:30,451 Speaker 1: because buffalo do not like to be herded. They're unwieldy 71 00:04:30,851 --> 00:04:32,091 Speaker 1: and they stand their ground. 72 00:04:33,131 --> 00:04:38,491 Speaker 3: Buffalo don't have the fight like cattle. Half Oh, They'll 73 00:04:38,571 --> 00:04:42,251 Speaker 3: rather stand and fight than run, and they win. 74 00:04:43,571 --> 00:04:47,051 Speaker 1: Buffalo are unique in that they don't run from a storm. 75 00:04:47,931 --> 00:04:52,651 Speaker 1: Some even run towards it, straight into it. And in 76 00:04:52,690 --> 00:04:56,130 Speaker 1: a sense, Hagar isn't much different. He never shied away 77 00:04:56,131 --> 00:04:59,211 Speaker 1: from the AJ case and he's not about to turn 78 00:04:59,291 --> 00:05:01,051 Speaker 1: tail now. 79 00:05:01,051 --> 00:05:03,171 Speaker 3: I go, I don't know what to do, Larry. He goes, Oh, no, 80 00:05:03,291 --> 00:05:04,931 Speaker 3: you'll get it back. You know, you gotta fight it, 81 00:05:05,011 --> 00:05:06,571 Speaker 3: do all this stuff. And I'm like, I'm going to 82 00:05:06,651 --> 00:05:10,491 Speaker 3: fight it, no doubt about it. Good Lord, I'm scared. 83 00:05:12,211 --> 00:05:16,891 Speaker 1: Hager steals himself, rears back, and rushes head first into 84 00:05:17,051 --> 00:05:22,651 Speaker 1: a legal shit storm. He sues the Sheriff's department over 85 00:05:22,690 --> 00:05:23,211 Speaker 1: his firing. 86 00:05:24,291 --> 00:05:26,651 Speaker 3: We did our job, and we did it right, and 87 00:05:26,690 --> 00:05:31,051 Speaker 3: we did it honestly. But the Sheriff's department is covering 88 00:05:31,131 --> 00:05:33,451 Speaker 3: up the corruption and that's why they did it. 89 00:05:35,571 --> 00:05:39,211 Speaker 1: Hagar versus the La County Sheriff's Department will take nearly 90 00:05:39,291 --> 00:05:43,811 Speaker 1: a decade to resolve, and in the process, the lawsuit 91 00:05:43,891 --> 00:05:49,130 Speaker 1: drags the lasd's dirty laundry out into open court. We 92 00:05:49,251 --> 00:05:52,010 Speaker 1: track down the court filings and go through a massive 93 00:05:52,091 --> 00:05:55,731 Speaker 1: internal LASD documents and recordings to get to the bottom 94 00:05:55,771 --> 00:05:58,690 Speaker 1: of why Hager was fired and to find out what 95 00:05:58,851 --> 00:06:01,611 Speaker 1: was really going on at the Sheriff's Department during the 96 00:06:01,690 --> 00:06:07,251 Speaker 1: John Aujy investigation. I'm Betsy Shepherd. 97 00:06:07,411 --> 00:06:18,531 Speaker 2: I'm Haley Fox is Valley of Shadows, Episode seven the trial. 98 00:06:24,811 --> 00:06:28,291 Speaker 2: So they won't even give you the whole case file anymore, 99 00:06:28,690 --> 00:06:30,491 Speaker 2: the paper case file. You have to go on the 100 00:06:30,531 --> 00:06:33,891 Speaker 2: computers and it's all digitized, and you gotta just got 101 00:06:33,931 --> 00:06:34,411 Speaker 2: a click. 102 00:06:34,291 --> 00:06:35,651 Speaker 1: Through that way, got it? 103 00:06:37,851 --> 00:06:38,731 Speaker 7: Second floor? 104 00:06:41,171 --> 00:06:41,611 Speaker 8: Okay? 105 00:06:42,091 --> 00:06:46,611 Speaker 2: This way. Betsy and I are in downtown Los Angeles, 106 00:06:46,891 --> 00:06:51,051 Speaker 2: descending two floors below ground to the County Courthouse archives, 107 00:06:51,771 --> 00:06:54,450 Speaker 2: and we're on a mission define the case file for 108 00:06:54,491 --> 00:06:56,731 Speaker 2: Hagar's lawsuit against the Sheriff's Department. 109 00:06:58,651 --> 00:07:00,331 Speaker 9: Do you want to just take these two in the corner? 110 00:07:00,491 --> 00:07:04,531 Speaker 2: Yeah. We set up camp at two computers in what 111 00:07:04,571 --> 00:07:07,570 Speaker 2: looks like an old bomb shelter with gray concrete on 112 00:07:07,651 --> 00:07:08,211 Speaker 2: all sides. 113 00:07:11,171 --> 00:07:12,451 Speaker 10: All right, So here we go. 114 00:07:14,411 --> 00:07:18,411 Speaker 2: We discover Hagar's discharge notice an official letter from the 115 00:07:18,571 --> 00:07:22,651 Speaker 2: LASD informing him that he's been fired. They cite two 116 00:07:22,691 --> 00:07:26,451 Speaker 2: reasons for it, one that Hagar carried out a rogue 117 00:07:26,491 --> 00:07:31,411 Speaker 2: and quote reckless investigation into fellow deputy Rick Angles, and 118 00:07:31,491 --> 00:07:35,171 Speaker 2: two that Hagar made false statements about these findings to 119 00:07:35,251 --> 00:07:39,411 Speaker 2: his superiors. But Hagar's legal team argues that he's a 120 00:07:39,411 --> 00:07:43,731 Speaker 2: whistleblower who is canned simply for exposing wrongdoing within the 121 00:07:43,731 --> 00:07:48,651 Speaker 2: Sheriff's Department between twenty three and twenty fifteen. There's a 122 00:07:48,731 --> 00:07:53,091 Speaker 2: volley of filings, motions, and appeals, but the outcome of 123 00:07:53,091 --> 00:07:59,331 Speaker 2: Hager's lawsuit against the Sheriff's Department is eye opening. Oh yeah, see, 124 00:07:59,331 --> 00:08:00,771 Speaker 2: this is holy moly. 125 00:08:00,851 --> 00:08:03,651 Speaker 1: Look at all of those documents. So we should just 126 00:08:03,691 --> 00:08:04,931 Speaker 1: take up residence here. 127 00:08:05,971 --> 00:08:07,811 Speaker 2: Oh for sure, We're just gonna have to like read 128 00:08:07,931 --> 00:08:14,011 Speaker 2: through all these things. During the lawsuit, the LASD is 129 00:08:14,091 --> 00:08:17,171 Speaker 2: forced to turn over a massive amount of investigative files 130 00:08:17,251 --> 00:08:21,451 Speaker 2: related to the AUJ case. Hager's legal team uses this 131 00:08:21,531 --> 00:08:26,131 Speaker 2: as evidence during the trial, and that makes them public records. 132 00:08:27,131 --> 00:08:28,691 Speaker 9: Do you know what the most beautiful word in the 133 00:08:28,731 --> 00:08:33,971 Speaker 9: English language is no way tape tape. 134 00:08:33,290 --> 00:08:34,891 Speaker 1: Look at all those tapes. 135 00:08:35,091 --> 00:08:35,410 Speaker 10: I know. 136 00:08:38,170 --> 00:08:41,371 Speaker 2: There's a trove of recorded interviews that the Sheriff's Department 137 00:08:41,410 --> 00:08:43,891 Speaker 2: conducted in connection to Auj's disappearance. 138 00:08:45,810 --> 00:08:49,530 Speaker 7: AUJ disappeared on June eleventh, Thursday, at about twenty three 139 00:08:49,530 --> 00:08:50,651 Speaker 7: to thirty hours. 140 00:08:51,690 --> 00:08:55,971 Speaker 2: This is a recording of Detective Joe Holmes aka Joe Friday. 141 00:08:56,771 --> 00:08:59,290 Speaker 2: He was handpicked to take over the AUJ case from 142 00:08:59,290 --> 00:09:00,731 Speaker 2: Detective Larry Brandenburg. 143 00:09:01,771 --> 00:09:03,210 Speaker 8: I don't want to pull myself that chess with J. 144 00:09:03,410 --> 00:09:05,730 Speaker 8: Let's let you guys know I am a good investigator. 145 00:09:05,891 --> 00:09:07,290 Speaker 4: I really am. 146 00:09:07,690 --> 00:09:11,131 Speaker 2: Holmes is talking to the las d's Internal Affairs Bureau. 147 00:09:11,771 --> 00:09:15,250 Speaker 2: It's a key interview because the department uses home statements 148 00:09:15,330 --> 00:09:18,210 Speaker 2: to discredit Hager and the DEA task Force. 149 00:09:19,530 --> 00:09:24,131 Speaker 8: The basic belief is that al J had stumbled across 150 00:09:24,930 --> 00:09:30,731 Speaker 8: some methmphetamine lab during this run and he was murdered. 151 00:09:31,090 --> 00:09:35,530 Speaker 7: Man Rick Engels, Tom Hinkle and several other people were 152 00:09:35,530 --> 00:09:38,571 Speaker 7: involved in it. Remember. 153 00:09:38,930 --> 00:09:41,530 Speaker 2: Brandenburg says that after he was taken off the case, 154 00:09:41,731 --> 00:09:45,811 Speaker 2: he overheard as Captain Frank Merriman tell Joe Holmes to 155 00:09:45,891 --> 00:09:49,091 Speaker 2: quote take care of me on this this being the 156 00:09:49,131 --> 00:09:53,050 Speaker 2: AUJ case, Brandenburg presumes, but Holmes denies it. 157 00:09:54,290 --> 00:09:57,410 Speaker 7: There rely made that decision in you know the politics involved, 158 00:09:57,491 --> 00:09:59,051 Speaker 7: they said, Joe, you're going to do it, or somebody 159 00:09:59,050 --> 00:10:01,410 Speaker 7: on the outside who knows nothing about anything here is. 160 00:10:02,810 --> 00:10:07,370 Speaker 2: Holmes is not exactly an outsider. He's had previous interactions 161 00:10:07,410 --> 00:10:10,450 Speaker 2: with Deputy big Foot Angles and met dealer Tom Hankele 162 00:10:10,970 --> 00:10:16,050 Speaker 2: while investigating the bombing death of a woman near Hinkle's home. Nevertheless, 163 00:10:16,210 --> 00:10:19,611 Speaker 2: Holmes gets the AUJ case, which means he gets first 164 00:10:19,690 --> 00:10:23,090 Speaker 2: crack at Hinkle after the Silent thunder agents bring him in. 165 00:10:24,210 --> 00:10:26,851 Speaker 7: Well asked him what he knows about Deputy Jingles, his 166 00:10:27,170 --> 00:10:28,930 Speaker 7: knowledge of the disference of the deputy. 167 00:10:28,651 --> 00:10:29,891 Speaker 8: The whole nine yards, you know, what do you know? 168 00:10:30,570 --> 00:10:32,450 Speaker 8: And what he said is he doesn't know anything about it. 169 00:10:32,491 --> 00:10:34,210 Speaker 8: He doesn't even know Deputy English. He said, he's hurt 170 00:10:34,210 --> 00:10:36,371 Speaker 8: of him, doesn't know him. He's hurt of it. That's it. 171 00:10:37,690 --> 00:10:41,450 Speaker 2: Tom Hinkle tells Internal Affairs the same thing, but in 172 00:10:41,491 --> 00:10:42,851 Speaker 2: his own colorful way. 173 00:10:44,170 --> 00:10:45,730 Speaker 8: I have no gection about any of it. 174 00:10:46,651 --> 00:10:47,971 Speaker 4: I don't have any fucking idea. 175 00:10:49,690 --> 00:10:52,851 Speaker 2: This IA interview is the only recording we have of 176 00:10:52,930 --> 00:10:56,891 Speaker 2: Hinkle because Holmes says that his tape player malfunctioned during 177 00:10:56,930 --> 00:11:01,490 Speaker 2: his interview and great investigator that he is. Holmes didn't 178 00:11:01,491 --> 00:11:06,450 Speaker 2: even write a report on it, so the department reinterviews Hinkle. 179 00:11:07,371 --> 00:11:10,530 Speaker 2: When Hinkles asked about his connection to Deputy Angles, he. 180 00:11:10,530 --> 00:11:14,131 Speaker 10: Says, I never heard of Raking doming check shit. 181 00:11:16,090 --> 00:11:18,930 Speaker 2: I gotta say he sounds a lot like I imagined 182 00:11:19,011 --> 00:11:24,410 Speaker 2: someone called bearded Meta clause Wood gravelly voiced surly cussin 183 00:11:24,570 --> 00:11:28,931 Speaker 2: like a sailor. When asked about scary Jeff Sherry, his 184 00:11:29,050 --> 00:11:32,891 Speaker 2: close associate who implied Hinkle was involved in Auj's disappearance, 185 00:11:33,410 --> 00:11:35,931 Speaker 2: Hinkle says, I don't know what kind. 186 00:11:35,771 --> 00:11:38,050 Speaker 8: Of damn ty battery wherever Jeff Scherry told him her. 187 00:11:38,011 --> 00:11:38,731 Speaker 4: Got of his head. 188 00:11:40,131 --> 00:11:43,850 Speaker 2: And that story from multiple informants about Hinkle saying Auj 189 00:11:44,050 --> 00:11:46,450 Speaker 2: stumbled on a meth lab and was taken care of. 190 00:11:47,731 --> 00:11:48,851 Speaker 4: It's all about of shit. 191 00:11:50,290 --> 00:11:53,891 Speaker 2: The man has a way with words. When asked if 192 00:11:53,930 --> 00:11:57,090 Speaker 2: there's anything else he could share about au J, oh 193 00:11:57,410 --> 00:12:02,570 Speaker 2: fucker was, Hinkle agrees to take a lie detector test. 194 00:12:03,450 --> 00:12:04,131 Speaker 4: Fucking right. 195 00:12:04,970 --> 00:12:06,970 Speaker 8: I have no reason that fucking telling and kosher. 196 00:12:08,690 --> 00:12:10,450 Speaker 2: So Holmes call in a polygrapher. 197 00:12:11,690 --> 00:12:14,891 Speaker 8: I believe Hinkle give him a polygraph plaster with flying colors. 198 00:12:14,930 --> 00:12:16,851 Speaker 8: Let me tell you something. If Pinkel had any knowledge 199 00:12:16,970 --> 00:12:20,570 Speaker 8: about criminal activity or foul played involved in a disparence 200 00:12:20,570 --> 00:12:23,771 Speaker 8: of Deputy Adja, he would be spilling his guts over 201 00:12:23,810 --> 00:12:25,491 Speaker 8: his table. And if he did, I wish he wore. 202 00:12:25,810 --> 00:12:27,451 Speaker 8: But he doesn't, and I'm convinced of that. 203 00:12:30,090 --> 00:12:34,970 Speaker 2: And with that, Holmes clears Hinkle. He's still got to 204 00:12:35,011 --> 00:12:37,331 Speaker 2: answer for the drug charges, but he's out of the 205 00:12:37,330 --> 00:12:38,851 Speaker 2: Homicide Bureau's hot seat. 206 00:12:40,851 --> 00:12:44,970 Speaker 1: When Hager hears the news, he feels totally deflated because 207 00:12:45,011 --> 00:12:48,891 Speaker 1: to him, Hinkle's the lasd's best chance of solving Auj's 208 00:12:48,891 --> 00:12:53,011 Speaker 1: alleged murder. With the right amount of pressure, Hager thinks 209 00:12:53,011 --> 00:12:55,730 Speaker 1: he could have gotten Tom Hinkle to roll on angles. 210 00:12:56,371 --> 00:13:00,170 Speaker 1: But now after Holmes gives Hinkle a pass, Hagar has 211 00:13:00,210 --> 00:13:00,891 Speaker 1: no leverage. 212 00:13:02,251 --> 00:13:04,530 Speaker 3: I looked him straight in the eyes and I said, Tom, 213 00:13:04,810 --> 00:13:06,491 Speaker 3: you got anything to say? He goes, no, don't know 214 00:13:06,491 --> 00:13:11,571 Speaker 3: what you're talking about. Because Toholmes had his bat the 215 00:13:11,690 --> 00:13:13,931 Speaker 3: lead homicide investor here at his back, he was good 216 00:13:13,970 --> 00:13:14,131 Speaker 3: to go. 217 00:13:15,450 --> 00:13:17,170 Speaker 5: What kissed me off was to come back and said, 218 00:13:17,170 --> 00:13:20,410 Speaker 5: oh yeah, do nothing. And then they tell me he passed. 219 00:13:20,090 --> 00:13:21,371 Speaker 4: The polygraphs. 220 00:13:22,570 --> 00:13:25,651 Speaker 1: Dea Special Agent Kim Bailey was head of the Silent 221 00:13:25,731 --> 00:13:28,011 Speaker 1: Thunder task force about. 222 00:13:27,810 --> 00:13:30,731 Speaker 4: Oh I to find that surprising but all right? And 223 00:13:30,771 --> 00:13:31,610 Speaker 4: then to. 224 00:13:31,611 --> 00:13:34,130 Speaker 5: Find out from the Ali kind of shares Politifer that 225 00:13:34,170 --> 00:13:35,691 Speaker 5: he goes, no, he didn't pass, that he failed it. 226 00:13:37,450 --> 00:13:41,810 Speaker 1: Detective Holmes lied to Agent Bailey. Hinkle did not pass 227 00:13:41,851 --> 00:13:46,290 Speaker 1: the light detector test, then, yet Holmes cleared him anyway. 228 00:13:46,651 --> 00:13:50,810 Speaker 1: Hinkle's polygraph results aren't the problem per se, because polygraphs 229 00:13:50,851 --> 00:13:55,290 Speaker 1: aren't considered all that reliable. The dishonesty in question here 230 00:13:55,611 --> 00:14:00,410 Speaker 1: involves Holmes. Why would he lie about Hinkle's test results 231 00:14:01,450 --> 00:14:05,450 Speaker 1: for Bailey and Hagar, It's just another indication that Holmes's 232 00:14:05,450 --> 00:14:10,651 Speaker 1: investigation is a total snow job. I think that Holmes 233 00:14:10,690 --> 00:14:13,730 Speaker 1: wouldn't be so quick to send Hinkle on his way, 234 00:14:13,771 --> 00:14:17,410 Speaker 1: given the severity of the allegations against him. But as 235 00:14:17,450 --> 00:14:20,891 Speaker 1: Holmes explains to Internal Affairs, he never put stock into 236 00:14:20,931 --> 00:14:22,411 Speaker 1: those claims in the first place. 237 00:14:23,891 --> 00:14:26,771 Speaker 8: They had no factual basis for anything. It's all rooms. 238 00:14:28,251 --> 00:14:30,651 Speaker 1: And his mind is made up by the time he 239 00:14:30,691 --> 00:14:35,131 Speaker 1: talks to Deputy Rick Angles. Listening to Holmes's interview, we 240 00:14:35,210 --> 00:14:40,171 Speaker 1: discover just how toothless his investigation was. I mean, Holmes 241 00:14:40,171 --> 00:14:43,091 Speaker 1: didn't even bother to record his conversation with Angles. 242 00:14:44,171 --> 00:14:47,211 Speaker 8: And I'm gonna say why we didn't team at this 243 00:14:47,251 --> 00:14:49,011 Speaker 8: point in time. We didn't feel that he was a 244 00:14:49,051 --> 00:14:50,011 Speaker 8: suspect in a case. 245 00:14:50,210 --> 00:14:54,891 Speaker 7: We were not going to insult him to that degree. 246 00:14:56,411 --> 00:15:00,291 Speaker 1: Holmes didn't want to insult Angles. He didn't get a 247 00:15:00,330 --> 00:15:03,451 Speaker 1: recording of his interview with Tom Hinkle either, but he 248 00:15:03,491 --> 00:15:06,171 Speaker 1: assures the department he did his due diligence. 249 00:15:07,411 --> 00:15:10,210 Speaker 8: We went to with homewrecker's financial wor everything on it, 250 00:15:11,811 --> 00:15:16,730 Speaker 8: there is nothing to suggest that Rick is guilty of anything. 251 00:15:18,131 --> 00:15:20,651 Speaker 1: Holmes says, Angles is accounted for on the day of 252 00:15:20,651 --> 00:15:21,691 Speaker 1: Auj's disappearance. 253 00:15:22,731 --> 00:15:25,251 Speaker 7: What will we establish us of that day of that date, 254 00:15:25,451 --> 00:15:27,610 Speaker 7: because why if it's getting her hair done, he was 255 00:15:27,651 --> 00:15:28,891 Speaker 7: a home that day, he was at home. 256 00:15:30,731 --> 00:15:34,251 Speaker 1: Holmes seems to be arguing that Angles couldn't have murdered 257 00:15:34,251 --> 00:15:37,731 Speaker 1: Auja because Ingles was at home that day while his 258 00:15:37,771 --> 00:15:40,611 Speaker 1: wife was out getting her hair done. But if his 259 00:15:40,651 --> 00:15:44,211 Speaker 1: wife's not home to vouch for Angles, that's not much 260 00:15:44,210 --> 00:15:49,011 Speaker 1: of an alibi. Holmes lets him off the hook. Anyway, 261 00:15:50,291 --> 00:15:51,411 Speaker 1: my gut feeling. 262 00:15:51,771 --> 00:15:53,731 Speaker 7: I got a straight, hard working cop, That's what I 263 00:15:53,731 --> 00:15:56,011 Speaker 7: think he is, if he's thirty, if he's the best 264 00:15:56,051 --> 00:15:57,691 Speaker 7: prook I have come within in my life. 265 00:15:59,931 --> 00:16:03,171 Speaker 1: Informants and witnesses allege that Angles is able to get 266 00:16:03,210 --> 00:16:07,451 Speaker 1: away with things by hiding behind his badge and reviewing 267 00:16:07,491 --> 00:16:10,251 Speaker 1: these cord exhibits, we can serve only see that at 268 00:16:10,251 --> 00:16:14,090 Speaker 1: play here. Holmes says he's got a gut feeling that 269 00:16:14,171 --> 00:16:17,211 Speaker 1: Angles is a straight, hard working cop, and so he 270 00:16:17,251 --> 00:16:21,091 Speaker 1: doesn't feel the need to scrutinize him, and he certainly 271 00:16:21,371 --> 00:16:23,411 Speaker 1: doesn't want to tarnish his reputation. 272 00:16:24,731 --> 00:16:27,211 Speaker 8: I said, you've got bloomering in the window. That's my 273 00:16:27,291 --> 00:16:29,531 Speaker 8: opinion on that fact. I called, you might say, boy 274 00:16:29,571 --> 00:16:31,091 Speaker 8: given a rule a lot of guy's careers. 275 00:16:33,011 --> 00:16:37,531 Speaker 1: Instead, the Sheriff's Department ruins Darren Hager's The LSD claims 276 00:16:37,531 --> 00:16:41,931 Speaker 1: Hager conducted illegal searches and misrepresented what informants reported to him, 277 00:16:42,571 --> 00:16:45,051 Speaker 1: but Bailey says he was the one who wrote the 278 00:16:45,051 --> 00:16:50,011 Speaker 1: search warrants, the DEA vetted its informants, and everything was 279 00:16:50,090 --> 00:16:51,131 Speaker 1: done by the book. 280 00:16:52,371 --> 00:16:55,011 Speaker 2: Did anyone from the Sheriff's Department reach out about like 281 00:16:55,651 --> 00:16:56,651 Speaker 2: behavior on the case. 282 00:16:57,611 --> 00:17:00,330 Speaker 6: Nobody from Maternal fairsh ever talk to me. I started 283 00:17:00,371 --> 00:17:03,011 Speaker 6: thinking well, did I not brush my teeth to take. 284 00:17:02,851 --> 00:17:05,171 Speaker 4: A shower or what. I'm starting to feel no love here. 285 00:17:06,171 --> 00:17:09,130 Speaker 1: Bailey was shocked by how the Sheriff's department responded to 286 00:17:09,171 --> 00:17:13,251 Speaker 1: the DA's findings, just trying to wash its hands of it. 287 00:17:14,011 --> 00:17:16,371 Speaker 5: I don't think that they wanted that to be true, 288 00:17:17,171 --> 00:17:17,611 Speaker 5: he says. 289 00:17:17,851 --> 00:17:20,691 Speaker 1: This is all happening in the wake of the Rampart scandal, 290 00:17:21,771 --> 00:17:24,891 Speaker 1: one of the biggest police corruption scandals in American history. 291 00:17:25,851 --> 00:17:29,691 Speaker 1: In the late nineties. Seventy Los Angeles Police Department officers 292 00:17:29,931 --> 00:17:34,691 Speaker 1: were implicated in misconduct, drug dealing, planning, fall sevenence bank robbing, 293 00:17:35,371 --> 00:17:38,211 Speaker 1: and it brought the LAPD to its knees. 294 00:17:39,211 --> 00:17:40,971 Speaker 5: So that was heavy in the news. I did now 295 00:17:40,971 --> 00:17:43,131 Speaker 5: offen the big scandal of the bucking LA Shares. 296 00:17:43,451 --> 00:17:45,171 Speaker 4: They were like, no, wait, can we let this stun 297 00:17:45,251 --> 00:17:45,611 Speaker 4: go up? 298 00:17:46,771 --> 00:17:50,291 Speaker 1: The La County Sheriff's Department was no less corrupt than 299 00:17:50,331 --> 00:17:54,331 Speaker 1: the LAPD. Captain Mike Bower says, they were just better 300 00:17:54,571 --> 00:17:56,011 Speaker 1: at hiding their secrets. 301 00:17:57,251 --> 00:17:59,491 Speaker 11: We were in competition to see who could be more 302 00:17:59,531 --> 00:18:03,571 Speaker 11: corrupt than the other. I'd like to say LAPD won, 303 00:18:03,651 --> 00:18:05,971 Speaker 11: but when I look back on it now, I think 304 00:18:06,011 --> 00:18:22,091 Speaker 11: we bested them. 305 00:18:22,211 --> 00:18:25,411 Speaker 2: I've reported on the La County Sheriff's Department for years, 306 00:18:26,011 --> 00:18:28,051 Speaker 2: and the type of cover up that Hagar and his 307 00:18:28,131 --> 00:18:33,931 Speaker 2: legal team allegend their lawsuit isn't unprecedented. The department has 308 00:18:33,971 --> 00:18:38,011 Speaker 2: a long history of corruption, and that history can offer 309 00:18:38,091 --> 00:18:41,251 Speaker 2: some insight into the way the department handled the AUJ case. 310 00:18:42,011 --> 00:18:44,891 Speaker 2: So we're going to try to understand Hager's lawsuit within 311 00:18:45,051 --> 00:18:48,251 Speaker 2: the broader context of the lasd's legal troubles. 312 00:18:48,931 --> 00:18:52,251 Speaker 7: A stinging rebuke today for the Los Angeles Sheriffs to Boughton. 313 00:18:52,531 --> 00:18:55,971 Speaker 12: A long investigation into drug money skimming culminated today in 314 00:18:56,011 --> 00:18:58,251 Speaker 12: more than a dozen criminal indictments. 315 00:18:58,891 --> 00:19:02,051 Speaker 2: In nineteen eighty nine, there was the Big Spender scandal, 316 00:19:02,571 --> 00:19:05,091 Speaker 2: in which it was discovered that an elite drug unit 317 00:19:05,131 --> 00:19:09,370 Speaker 2: at the LASD was embezzling and extorting money from narco traffic. 318 00:19:10,451 --> 00:19:13,731 Speaker 13: The deputies came large amounts of seized drug money before 319 00:19:13,771 --> 00:19:17,330 Speaker 13: turning it into the department. Then they allegedly divided it 320 00:19:17,371 --> 00:19:21,531 Speaker 13: among themselves and bought boats, swimming pools, vacation homes, and 321 00:19:21,611 --> 00:19:24,330 Speaker 13: helicopter lessons, hence the. 322 00:19:24,411 --> 00:19:26,171 Speaker 2: Name Big Spender. 323 00:19:27,491 --> 00:19:32,051 Speaker 12: They discovered cash walled up behind deputy's drywall in their houses, 324 00:19:33,731 --> 00:19:37,651 Speaker 12: and they found scores of deputies involved in this. 325 00:19:39,291 --> 00:19:43,051 Speaker 2: Retired Captain Mike Bauer was stunned by his colleagues behavior. 326 00:19:43,931 --> 00:19:47,691 Speaker 2: The scandal was exposed by then Sheriff Sherman Block, who 327 00:19:47,691 --> 00:19:50,931 Speaker 2: invited the FEDS in to help investigate the dirty deputies. 328 00:19:51,811 --> 00:19:54,531 Speaker 13: Sherman Block is the sheriff of Los Angeles County. 329 00:19:55,331 --> 00:20:00,851 Speaker 6: I think we had individuals who succumbed to temptation. 330 00:20:02,011 --> 00:20:03,131 Speaker 4: I just can't accept that. 331 00:20:04,731 --> 00:20:07,771 Speaker 11: The philosophy of Block and Big Spender was if we 332 00:20:07,811 --> 00:20:09,650 Speaker 11: did something wrong, we're going to admit it and we're 333 00:20:09,691 --> 00:20:10,411 Speaker 11: going to make it right. 334 00:20:10,531 --> 00:20:11,491 Speaker 3: We're not going to hide it. 335 00:20:12,651 --> 00:20:16,331 Speaker 2: But Sherman Block died in nineteen ninety eight, the same 336 00:20:16,411 --> 00:20:20,051 Speaker 2: year Aujay disappeared, and there was a new sheriff in town, 337 00:20:20,451 --> 00:20:26,731 Speaker 2: the notorious Lee Baca. Under him, Bauer says the lasd's 338 00:20:26,731 --> 00:20:30,451 Speaker 2: philosophy changed to protect the department above all else. 339 00:20:31,611 --> 00:20:35,491 Speaker 11: If the inside people are making political decisions and not 340 00:20:35,771 --> 00:20:40,931 Speaker 11: professional law enforcement decisions, you get favoritism and you get corruption. 341 00:20:42,451 --> 00:20:45,411 Speaker 2: Bacca is the Los Angeles County sheriff from nineteen ninety 342 00:20:45,451 --> 00:20:48,850 Speaker 2: eight until twenty fourteen, when he was pushed out and 343 00:20:48,971 --> 00:20:51,691 Speaker 2: later jailed on federal corruption charges. 344 00:20:52,411 --> 00:20:55,370 Speaker 1: Former La County Sheriff Lee Baca is now a convicted criminal. 345 00:20:55,451 --> 00:21:01,131 Speaker 2: Bacca convicted on three federal charges, obstruction of justice, conspiracy 346 00:21:01,171 --> 00:21:05,771 Speaker 2: to obstruct justice, and making false statements or lying. Bacca 347 00:21:05,931 --> 00:21:08,531 Speaker 2: and nine of his deputies were sent to prison for 348 00:21:08,611 --> 00:21:12,411 Speaker 2: their role in interfering with a federal investigation into lasd 349 00:21:12,531 --> 00:21:17,411 Speaker 2: civil rights abuses. Baco was found guilty of witness tampering 350 00:21:17,931 --> 00:21:21,531 Speaker 2: and threatening an FBI agent, but that was just a 351 00:21:21,531 --> 00:21:25,731 Speaker 2: fraction of the misconduct under Baka, his reign saw the 352 00:21:25,731 --> 00:21:27,811 Speaker 2: growing terror of deputy gangs. 353 00:21:30,611 --> 00:21:33,411 Speaker 14: There's a different kind of gang problem in Los Angeles 354 00:21:33,491 --> 00:21:36,971 Speaker 14: County that people meant to serve and protect the population 355 00:21:37,091 --> 00:21:41,531 Speaker 14: of more than nine million people allegedly part of powerful. 356 00:21:41,091 --> 00:21:43,211 Speaker 1: Gigs going back decades. 357 00:21:44,931 --> 00:21:49,691 Speaker 2: These groups form within individual sheriff stations. They have menacing 358 00:21:49,771 --> 00:21:53,611 Speaker 2: names like the Executioners and the grim Reapers, and they're 359 00:21:53,651 --> 00:21:57,411 Speaker 2: known for their violent beatings and killings. In other words, 360 00:21:57,531 --> 00:22:01,091 Speaker 2: they're gangs that operate under the cover of the sheriff's department. 361 00:22:02,011 --> 00:22:04,891 Speaker 11: Now, if you read out the gang, you're not back 362 00:22:04,891 --> 00:22:07,971 Speaker 11: in the blue. You're both to back the blue under 363 00:22:08,011 --> 00:22:16,051 Speaker 11: any circumstance like unconstitutional policing. Fabricating evidence, falsifying search warrants, 364 00:22:16,771 --> 00:22:19,771 Speaker 11: using excessive and unnecessary force, and then covering it up. 365 00:22:21,331 --> 00:22:25,091 Speaker 2: According to the Office of the Inspector General, crimes committed 366 00:22:25,131 --> 00:22:27,971 Speaker 2: by deputy gangs have cost the county more than fifty 367 00:22:28,011 --> 00:22:32,491 Speaker 2: four million dollars in settlement payouts. One of those lawsuits 368 00:22:32,571 --> 00:22:36,011 Speaker 2: was filed against members of the Linwood Vikings, which included 369 00:22:36,051 --> 00:22:41,211 Speaker 2: none other than Deputy Joe Holmes. It accuses Holmes and 370 00:22:41,251 --> 00:22:44,291 Speaker 2: company of being in a neo Nazi deputy gang and 371 00:22:44,331 --> 00:22:48,571 Speaker 2: committing acts of racial violence. It also accuses the Department 372 00:22:48,851 --> 00:22:50,891 Speaker 2: of helping to conceal their misconduct. 373 00:22:51,971 --> 00:22:55,531 Speaker 15: So when you see somebody like Holmes handling somebody like 374 00:22:55,731 --> 00:23:03,171 Speaker 15: Hauj of missing deputy and allegations of corruption by deputies 375 00:23:03,171 --> 00:23:07,971 Speaker 15: in Namo Valley, well you have to say, well, why 376 00:23:08,051 --> 00:23:10,131 Speaker 15: was it the Linwood Viking that got this case. 377 00:23:11,531 --> 00:23:15,011 Speaker 2: Bauer has a theory that the department hand picked Holmes 378 00:23:15,011 --> 00:23:18,371 Speaker 2: for the AUJ case because he owed him one. 379 00:23:18,651 --> 00:23:23,851 Speaker 15: What Joe Holmes did he did not do on his own. 380 00:23:25,051 --> 00:23:27,971 Speaker 2: And Bauer thinks that's why the AUJ case shook out 381 00:23:28,011 --> 00:23:30,651 Speaker 2: like it did, because the department had a lot of 382 00:23:30,691 --> 00:23:33,971 Speaker 2: dirt on a lot of people, and that meant they 383 00:23:34,011 --> 00:23:37,971 Speaker 2: were loyal to the lasd's cause self preservation. 384 00:23:42,171 --> 00:23:46,411 Speaker 1: Operation Silent Thunder documented allegations against Rick Engles, of course, 385 00:23:47,291 --> 00:23:49,291 Speaker 1: but it also kicked up dirt on a number of 386 00:23:49,331 --> 00:23:52,771 Speaker 1: other deputies. One guy was said to be a patched 387 00:23:52,811 --> 00:23:56,891 Speaker 1: and active member of the Vagos biker gang. Another sold 388 00:23:56,931 --> 00:24:00,531 Speaker 1: guns to the bikers, And when one deputy's home was raided, 389 00:24:00,611 --> 00:24:05,051 Speaker 1: the task Force discovered a counterfeit money operation. Bailey was 390 00:24:05,051 --> 00:24:08,811 Speaker 1: there at the search and discovered something even more disturbing 391 00:24:08,851 --> 00:24:09,411 Speaker 1: in the process. 392 00:24:09,571 --> 00:24:13,171 Speaker 6: Us It was the toy baby that was called painted 393 00:24:13,171 --> 00:24:16,331 Speaker 6: black Um going to hang him in his noose from 394 00:24:16,331 --> 00:24:19,531 Speaker 6: the ceiling, and then right behind it on the chest 395 00:24:19,611 --> 00:24:23,611 Speaker 6: door was his class photo of the La Shaf Department. 396 00:24:25,811 --> 00:24:30,491 Speaker 2: It's just it's really like very near as unbelievable. I mean, 397 00:24:30,611 --> 00:24:33,371 Speaker 2: like when you see all this and then you guys 398 00:24:33,411 --> 00:24:35,571 Speaker 2: turn this information over to the Sheriff's department or what 399 00:24:35,651 --> 00:24:37,011 Speaker 2: happens next. 400 00:24:37,331 --> 00:24:40,051 Speaker 6: I made one document was a growing document, and I 401 00:24:40,091 --> 00:24:41,931 Speaker 6: think it ended up being three to five pages of 402 00:24:42,011 --> 00:24:43,811 Speaker 6: bullet statements. 403 00:24:43,651 --> 00:24:47,811 Speaker 1: Bullet point statements detailing all the potential misconduct the Task 404 00:24:47,851 --> 00:24:49,611 Speaker 1: Force witnessed during Silent. 405 00:24:49,291 --> 00:24:51,771 Speaker 6: Thunder, and I left to the Shriffs Department to do 406 00:24:51,811 --> 00:24:53,451 Speaker 6: their internal affairs investigations. 407 00:24:53,451 --> 00:24:55,411 Speaker 4: To my knowledge, they didn't do anything with him. 408 00:24:56,331 --> 00:25:00,731 Speaker 1: Bailey says that LASD internal affairs never contacted him about 409 00:25:00,731 --> 00:25:04,291 Speaker 1: the disturbing noos effigy or any of the other misconduct 410 00:25:04,371 --> 00:25:07,931 Speaker 1: he handed over to them. But some Aneloge Valley deputies 411 00:25:07,971 --> 00:25:10,691 Speaker 1: had gotten word of Silent Thunder and they try to 412 00:25:10,691 --> 00:25:14,851 Speaker 1: get in front of any possible accusations by preemptively filing 413 00:25:14,891 --> 00:25:20,090 Speaker 1: complaints against Darren Hager. The group includes six deputies and 414 00:25:20,211 --> 00:25:24,731 Speaker 1: is led by Rick Angles. They say Hagar has it 415 00:25:24,771 --> 00:25:27,331 Speaker 1: out for them and is acting out of turn as 416 00:25:27,331 --> 00:25:29,011 Speaker 1: an internal affairs investigator. 417 00:25:29,851 --> 00:25:32,411 Speaker 3: Yeah, we weren't investigating deputies, but it's in your lap. 418 00:25:33,291 --> 00:25:33,491 Speaker 4: You know. 419 00:25:33,611 --> 00:25:36,651 Speaker 3: If I catch a deputy doing something bad, I can't 420 00:25:36,651 --> 00:25:38,491 Speaker 3: just say I don't worry about it. You know, they're 421 00:25:38,491 --> 00:25:42,051 Speaker 3: not above the law. But in this case, everybody was 422 00:25:42,091 --> 00:25:43,691 Speaker 3: above the law except for Darren Hager. 423 00:25:45,211 --> 00:25:48,330 Speaker 1: Instead of going after Rick Angles and his cohort, the 424 00:25:48,411 --> 00:25:53,571 Speaker 1: department goes after Hagar. He admits his record isn't sterling. 425 00:25:54,491 --> 00:25:56,451 Speaker 3: Am I an angel? Absolutely not. I've done a lot 426 00:25:56,451 --> 00:25:59,531 Speaker 3: of things wrong, but all these criminal allegations they threw 427 00:25:59,571 --> 00:26:02,811 Speaker 3: against So this is all stupid. Absolutely, If they were 428 00:26:02,811 --> 00:26:06,771 Speaker 3: that bad, why wasn't I prosecuted? Why did they wait 429 00:26:06,811 --> 00:26:07,771 Speaker 3: till the court case. 430 00:26:10,251 --> 00:26:12,931 Speaker 1: In the early nineties, the LA Sheriff's Bertment was trying 431 00:26:12,931 --> 00:26:15,330 Speaker 1: to put a lid on use of force incidents among 432 00:26:15,371 --> 00:26:16,091 Speaker 1: its deputies. 433 00:26:17,091 --> 00:26:19,971 Speaker 3: They came out with a list of one hundred guys 434 00:26:19,971 --> 00:26:22,051 Speaker 3: that was costing the county too much money on lawsuits 435 00:26:22,091 --> 00:26:22,731 Speaker 3: and things like that. 436 00:26:24,051 --> 00:26:28,171 Speaker 1: Hagar was on that list. He says it's because he 437 00:26:28,291 --> 00:26:31,731 Speaker 1: had a high arrest record, that he used force when needed, 438 00:26:32,171 --> 00:26:35,251 Speaker 1: and that ultimately the department ruled he was justified in 439 00:26:35,331 --> 00:26:36,571 Speaker 1: doing so. 440 00:26:36,891 --> 00:26:39,611 Speaker 3: The use of force, it starts with protection of yourself. 441 00:26:40,171 --> 00:26:42,090 Speaker 3: You don't have time to think. You do what you 442 00:26:42,131 --> 00:26:43,771 Speaker 3: got to do, You do what you're trained to do, 443 00:26:44,211 --> 00:26:45,531 Speaker 3: and you take him to jail. 444 00:26:47,211 --> 00:26:51,211 Speaker 1: The department brought up other things from Hager's past, allegations 445 00:26:51,251 --> 00:26:53,731 Speaker 1: of drinking and driving, and that he injured a man 446 00:26:53,811 --> 00:26:57,731 Speaker 1: while intoxicated. Hager says that yes, he did have a 447 00:26:57,811 --> 00:27:01,371 Speaker 1: drinking problem and did accidentally run over a guy's foot 448 00:27:01,411 --> 00:27:02,211 Speaker 1: while leaving a bar. 449 00:27:03,811 --> 00:27:07,611 Speaker 3: Jack Daniels and I became a really close friend and 450 00:27:08,931 --> 00:27:13,051 Speaker 3: got me in a lot of trouble made me embarrassed, and. 451 00:27:13,011 --> 00:27:16,171 Speaker 1: There was an accusation by an ex girlfriend who also 452 00:27:16,211 --> 00:27:20,211 Speaker 1: worked at the LASD, that Hagar sexually harassed and physically 453 00:27:20,211 --> 00:27:23,411 Speaker 1: assaulted her. She filed a civil suit against Hager in 454 00:27:23,451 --> 00:27:27,571 Speaker 1: the department, which was ultimately settled out of court. Hager 455 00:27:27,651 --> 00:27:31,931 Speaker 1: denies the incidents alleged by his ex girlfriend. If they 456 00:27:31,971 --> 00:27:36,171 Speaker 1: did happen, those would be fireable offenses in my book, 457 00:27:36,811 --> 00:27:40,531 Speaker 1: so would excessive force incidents. But the department never went 458 00:27:40,571 --> 00:27:43,971 Speaker 1: after Hagar for those things. They went after him for 459 00:27:44,131 --> 00:27:46,731 Speaker 1: documenting misconduct by his fellow officers. 460 00:27:48,171 --> 00:27:50,971 Speaker 3: I had too much information. They had to get rid 461 00:27:50,971 --> 00:27:51,211 Speaker 3: of the. 462 00:27:51,171 --> 00:27:57,091 Speaker 1: Messenger from the start. The LASD is clear on who 463 00:27:57,131 --> 00:27:57,851 Speaker 1: they're targeting. 464 00:27:59,371 --> 00:28:01,171 Speaker 8: Now, anything we talk about here, can we go to 465 00:28:01,171 --> 00:28:01,571 Speaker 8: tell Hag. 466 00:28:02,211 --> 00:28:06,651 Speaker 1: Okay, this is a lead investigator for the Department's Internal 467 00:28:06,691 --> 00:28:11,651 Speaker 1: Criminal Investigation Bureau, and he's talking to Hagar's main informant, Keith, 468 00:28:12,291 --> 00:28:16,171 Speaker 1: the catalyst for the whole Silent Thunder Task Force and 469 00:28:16,251 --> 00:28:17,090 Speaker 1: any Kango wo work. 470 00:28:17,131 --> 00:28:20,171 Speaker 7: But we worked for the sheriff directly, Okay, I worked 471 00:28:20,171 --> 00:28:21,571 Speaker 7: for the MAP itself. 472 00:28:22,251 --> 00:28:22,971 Speaker 13: I can step on. 473 00:28:26,691 --> 00:28:29,251 Speaker 1: I can step on Hagar like a little cockroach. He 474 00:28:29,331 --> 00:28:34,051 Speaker 1: tells Keith. We don't know if this LASD official was 475 00:28:34,091 --> 00:28:37,411 Speaker 1: trying to intimidate the witness, but if I was Keith 476 00:28:37,491 --> 00:28:39,451 Speaker 1: and I saw the apartment going after one of its 477 00:28:39,451 --> 00:28:42,451 Speaker 1: own guys, I'd say as far away from the situation 478 00:28:42,531 --> 00:28:46,811 Speaker 1: as possible, because working as an informant is incredibly dangerous, 479 00:28:47,331 --> 00:28:52,411 Speaker 1: especially without full backing from the department. The LASD says 480 00:28:52,411 --> 00:28:55,371 Speaker 1: Hager presented a false theory of what happened to aj 481 00:28:55,971 --> 00:28:59,891 Speaker 1: because some of his informants later recanted their stories. But 482 00:28:59,971 --> 00:29:02,611 Speaker 1: how many informants are going to stay the course after 483 00:29:02,651 --> 00:29:07,051 Speaker 1: the department makes it clear they've got Hagar in their crosshairs. 484 00:29:08,171 --> 00:29:12,211 Speaker 5: It should shock the system. In their own letter saying 485 00:29:12,331 --> 00:29:16,571 Speaker 5: we're proposing you for termination because you presented a false 486 00:29:16,931 --> 00:29:22,331 Speaker 5: theory to LA Shriff's management. Are you freaking kidding me? 487 00:29:23,251 --> 00:29:25,211 Speaker 1: Special Agent Kent Bailey. 488 00:29:25,971 --> 00:29:28,091 Speaker 5: It's just like when do you talk about their theories 489 00:29:28,171 --> 00:29:31,931 Speaker 5: until you collect the evidence to confirm or deny. 490 00:29:32,091 --> 00:29:34,131 Speaker 4: You know what I'd argue, Joe A. Holmes's theory is 491 00:29:34,171 --> 00:29:34,771 Speaker 4: fucking false. 492 00:29:36,491 --> 00:29:40,531 Speaker 1: This is what Hagar argues, And after fighting seven long 493 00:29:40,611 --> 00:29:43,771 Speaker 1: years to prove his case, he finally gets his day 494 00:29:43,771 --> 00:29:47,331 Speaker 1: in court, and he finally gets some answers from the 495 00:29:47,371 --> 00:29:51,051 Speaker 1: person at the epicenter of the AUJ case, Resident Deputy 496 00:29:51,291 --> 00:29:56,131 Speaker 1: Break Angles. When trial day comes, Angles will be dragged 497 00:29:56,131 --> 00:29:59,051 Speaker 1: out of the shadows and into the fluorescent lights of 498 00:29:59,091 --> 00:30:18,531 Speaker 1: the courtroom where he'll be ordered to take the stand. 499 00:30:21,451 --> 00:30:25,011 Speaker 2: So, yeah, this is the list of everything that's going 500 00:30:25,051 --> 00:30:28,731 Speaker 2: to be submitted as evidence in the case four and 501 00:30:28,891 --> 00:30:33,531 Speaker 2: eighty nine exhibits. Betsy and I are back at the 502 00:30:33,531 --> 00:30:36,971 Speaker 2: courthouse looking at the list of exhibits presented during Hagar 503 00:30:37,131 --> 00:30:38,611 Speaker 2: versus La County. 504 00:30:39,171 --> 00:30:41,691 Speaker 10: Are there tapes of Rick Angles? 505 00:30:41,691 --> 00:30:42,251 Speaker 11: See? 506 00:30:43,371 --> 00:30:46,331 Speaker 2: Oh, here we go Ingle's IAB interview. 507 00:30:46,731 --> 00:30:49,571 Speaker 1: So that would be Internal Affairs Bureau. 508 00:30:49,811 --> 00:30:50,971 Speaker 8: Okay, okay cool. 509 00:30:54,131 --> 00:30:57,491 Speaker 2: Over the years, Angles has been questioned numerous times by 510 00:30:57,531 --> 00:31:01,731 Speaker 2: all sorts of lawyers and LASD personnel. Recordings of these 511 00:31:01,771 --> 00:31:06,131 Speaker 2: interviews are entered as evidence in Hager's case. In the 512 00:31:06,211 --> 00:31:09,171 Speaker 2: lead up to his trial, Darren Hager and his lawyer 513 00:31:09,251 --> 00:31:13,251 Speaker 2: were view these tapes and find plenty of inconsistencies between 514 00:31:13,251 --> 00:31:17,291 Speaker 2: the lasd's claims and the testimony of Deputy Rick Angles. 515 00:31:18,731 --> 00:31:21,011 Speaker 16: State of full names, Bell, your last name is State 516 00:31:21,051 --> 00:31:24,251 Speaker 16: Ture employe number Thie Richard Augustus Eingles E. N. 517 00:31:24,371 --> 00:31:25,571 Speaker 8: G Els. 518 00:31:26,931 --> 00:31:30,171 Speaker 2: This is an internal affairs interview with Angles in which 519 00:31:30,211 --> 00:31:33,891 Speaker 2: they ask about his irregular behavior in another Pair Blossom case. 520 00:31:35,091 --> 00:31:39,931 Speaker 8: Back on September twelve, three thousand and one, you got 521 00:31:39,931 --> 00:31:41,691 Speaker 8: a signed a call of. 522 00:31:41,611 --> 00:31:43,491 Speaker 13: A vehicle fire in the Angelus Forest. 523 00:31:43,971 --> 00:31:44,491 Speaker 8: Do you remember? 524 00:31:44,571 --> 00:31:44,611 Speaker 13: Like? 525 00:31:44,771 --> 00:31:45,211 Speaker 8: Yes, I do. 526 00:31:45,411 --> 00:31:50,371 Speaker 2: Okay, this car that was on fire. Turns out it 527 00:31:50,411 --> 00:31:54,931 Speaker 2: was Rodney Katziff's, that unofficial investigator who helped connect Hager 528 00:31:55,051 --> 00:32:00,811 Speaker 2: with a key witness and then suddenly went missing. Katzif 529 00:32:00,811 --> 00:32:05,211 Speaker 2: reportedly had information tying Angles and Hinkle to the auj disappearance. 530 00:32:06,371 --> 00:32:08,731 Speaker 2: But before he gets a chance to share these details 531 00:32:08,771 --> 00:32:13,691 Speaker 2: with Hagar, his car is found burned out and abandoned. Well, 532 00:32:13,771 --> 00:32:17,851 Speaker 2: it happened in Rick Engle's jurisdiction, and when someone reported 533 00:32:17,851 --> 00:32:21,011 Speaker 2: that the car was on fire, Angles was assigned to 534 00:32:21,051 --> 00:32:26,211 Speaker 2: the call, but curiously, he chose not to respond because 535 00:32:26,251 --> 00:32:28,611 Speaker 2: he says he heard from a neighbor that the car 536 00:32:28,931 --> 00:32:31,931 Speaker 2: wasn't on fire anymore. Plus it was the end of 537 00:32:31,931 --> 00:32:34,051 Speaker 2: his shift and he didn't want the hassle. 538 00:32:35,851 --> 00:32:38,731 Speaker 16: And I thought to myself, Okay, fire has been put out. 539 00:32:40,011 --> 00:32:42,411 Speaker 16: I'll get it tomorrow. Man, it's under the highways burned up. 540 00:32:42,451 --> 00:32:44,611 Speaker 16: It was a burned up, Yeah, burned up man, Okay, 541 00:32:44,651 --> 00:32:45,211 Speaker 16: no big deal. 542 00:32:46,931 --> 00:32:50,731 Speaker 2: It seems strange that Angles would choose not to respond 543 00:32:50,771 --> 00:32:54,251 Speaker 2: to a call involving a car on fire right near 544 00:32:54,371 --> 00:32:57,971 Speaker 2: a national forest, especially since it's his job to be 545 00:32:58,051 --> 00:33:01,731 Speaker 2: mister Johnny on the spot. No big deal, Angle says, 546 00:33:02,731 --> 00:33:05,331 Speaker 2: but what are the chances that he would be directly 547 00:33:05,411 --> 00:33:09,491 Speaker 2: tied to another disappearance near the punch bowl? La D 548 00:33:10,011 --> 00:33:12,811 Speaker 2: doesn't dig into Engle's explanation of why he was so 549 00:33:12,851 --> 00:33:17,331 Speaker 2: slow to respond to Katsiff's disappearance. In fact, the department 550 00:33:17,331 --> 00:33:20,371 Speaker 2: doesn't seem to push back at all, not even when 551 00:33:20,371 --> 00:33:23,571 Speaker 2: Angles admits that Detective Holmes give him a soft toss 552 00:33:23,611 --> 00:33:26,891 Speaker 2: interview and leaked information to him about the AUJ case. 553 00:33:28,171 --> 00:33:30,731 Speaker 16: By the time Jill got around talking to me, he 554 00:33:30,811 --> 00:33:32,651 Speaker 16: just blatt told me, we know you didn't do this, 555 00:33:33,211 --> 00:33:36,291 Speaker 16: and that in so many words, it was more like 556 00:33:36,491 --> 00:33:38,451 Speaker 16: you know on your best witness. 557 00:33:40,291 --> 00:33:43,571 Speaker 2: That doesn't sound like something a homicide investigator should be 558 00:33:43,611 --> 00:33:47,491 Speaker 2: telling a suspect, especially given that Holmes had only been 559 00:33:47,531 --> 00:33:50,211 Speaker 2: working on the AUJ case for three weeks at this point. 560 00:33:51,331 --> 00:33:54,331 Speaker 2: The detective also tells Engles his phone was being monitored 561 00:33:54,331 --> 00:33:59,171 Speaker 2: by Operation Silent Thunder. After hearing the news, Angles changes 562 00:33:59,211 --> 00:34:03,491 Speaker 2: the message on his answering machine, seemingly to taunt authorities. 563 00:34:04,971 --> 00:34:08,091 Speaker 16: The FBI has a camp on the phone etna's launch 564 00:34:08,091 --> 00:34:10,210 Speaker 16: from the home to leave a message. 565 00:34:09,891 --> 00:34:11,330 Speaker 8: Of the tone and I'll call you. 566 00:34:11,331 --> 00:34:12,890 Speaker 4: Back with my own. 567 00:34:15,891 --> 00:34:19,011 Speaker 2: Angles is yucking it up with the IA investigators over 568 00:34:19,051 --> 00:34:22,571 Speaker 2: this voice message, in which he's basically making light of 569 00:34:22,611 --> 00:34:25,451 Speaker 2: the John Aujy case and thumbing his nose at the FEDS. 570 00:34:26,331 --> 00:34:30,011 Speaker 2: There was the DEA investigating him during Operation Silent Thunder, 571 00:34:30,851 --> 00:34:34,131 Speaker 2: and the FBI mentioned is a reference to a widespread 572 00:34:34,171 --> 00:34:37,731 Speaker 2: rumor circulating at the time that the FBI was also 573 00:34:37,891 --> 00:34:41,611 Speaker 2: looking into Aujay's disappearance. They won't confirm or deny that, 574 00:34:41,691 --> 00:34:45,091 Speaker 2: of course, but when Angles is being interrogated by the 575 00:34:45,131 --> 00:34:48,971 Speaker 2: Sheriff's department, they don't ask about this voice message, or 576 00:34:49,011 --> 00:34:53,211 Speaker 2: it seems, any of his questionable behavior because their internal 577 00:34:53,211 --> 00:34:57,931 Speaker 2: affairs investigation is pretty much a gimme Heygre's attorney, on 578 00:34:57,971 --> 00:35:00,651 Speaker 2: the other hand, a guy named Rick Love, takes a 579 00:35:00,731 --> 00:35:03,011 Speaker 2: much harder line of questioning during the trial. 580 00:35:04,851 --> 00:35:08,611 Speaker 1: The attorneys make their opening statements on September thirteenth, twenty eleven, 581 00:35:09,451 --> 00:35:12,971 Speaker 1: about eight long years after Hager first filed a lawsuit 582 00:35:13,051 --> 00:35:17,691 Speaker 1: against the department. His lawyer Rick Love argues that Hager 583 00:35:17,811 --> 00:35:22,011 Speaker 1: was fired as payback for exposing wrongdoing. The department says 584 00:35:22,291 --> 00:35:26,451 Speaker 1: the wrongdoing was fabricated by Hagar. Hager's got evidence to 585 00:35:26,531 --> 00:35:30,971 Speaker 1: back up his claims, which Love wheels into the courtroom. 586 00:35:31,491 --> 00:35:35,571 Speaker 3: I think we have seventeen file boxes every day in court, 587 00:35:36,171 --> 00:35:38,730 Speaker 3: and he hired a moving company every day to move 588 00:35:38,771 --> 00:35:39,611 Speaker 3: them back and forth. 589 00:35:41,771 --> 00:35:45,210 Speaker 1: Over the two week trial, Love calls dozens of witnesses 590 00:35:45,291 --> 00:35:48,851 Speaker 1: to the stand. So Brandenburg was a witness. 591 00:35:49,011 --> 00:35:51,171 Speaker 2: Yep, we see some informants on there. 592 00:35:51,571 --> 00:35:55,291 Speaker 10: Get Kent Bailey from the DEEA Verry Staff from the 593 00:35:55,331 --> 00:36:02,971 Speaker 10: Sheriff's Department, Joe Holmes, the mother load. Okay. 594 00:36:03,011 --> 00:36:06,891 Speaker 9: So Rick Engels was called to testify for six hours 595 00:36:06,931 --> 00:36:09,331 Speaker 9: and then there were two hours of cross examination. 596 00:36:11,771 --> 00:36:14,851 Speaker 1: There aren't any tapes of the trial itself, so we're 597 00:36:14,851 --> 00:36:18,171 Speaker 1: gonna read from the transcripts. Haley will be reading the 598 00:36:18,251 --> 00:36:21,651 Speaker 1: questions asked by Hager's attorney Rick Love, and I'll read 599 00:36:21,691 --> 00:36:25,251 Speaker 1: the part of Deputy Rick Angles. Yes, we know there 600 00:36:25,291 --> 00:36:27,770 Speaker 1: are a lot of ricks in this show, but we're 601 00:36:27,771 --> 00:36:29,531 Speaker 1: gonna do our best to help you keep them straight. 602 00:36:31,091 --> 00:36:33,891 Speaker 2: You were familiar with the trails and terrain around Devil's 603 00:36:33,891 --> 00:36:38,491 Speaker 2: punch Bowl, right, yes, And didn't you think that your 604 00:36:38,531 --> 00:36:41,531 Speaker 2: expertise would be useful in a search for a missing deputy. 605 00:36:45,531 --> 00:36:49,971 Speaker 1: At this point, the county attorney objects, shutting down Love's 606 00:36:50,011 --> 00:36:53,811 Speaker 1: line of questioning. The defense tells the jury, we're not 607 00:36:54,011 --> 00:36:56,651 Speaker 1: here to try to solve the mystery of why the 608 00:36:56,651 --> 00:37:01,131 Speaker 1: deputy was disappearing. Nobody knows. The evidence has shown what 609 00:37:01,211 --> 00:37:04,250 Speaker 1: happened to him. He may have committed suicide, he may 610 00:37:04,291 --> 00:37:06,531 Speaker 1: be living in some other part of the world. He 611 00:37:06,571 --> 00:37:10,451 Speaker 1: may have been murdered. We just don't know. It's interesting 612 00:37:10,491 --> 00:37:13,051 Speaker 1: to see the county attorney acting kind of like a 613 00:37:13,211 --> 00:37:17,210 Speaker 1: defense lawyer for Rick Angles, being like, any of these 614 00:37:17,251 --> 00:37:20,331 Speaker 1: other things could have happened at John Auj. Let's just 615 00:37:20,491 --> 00:37:21,730 Speaker 1: get off this whole murder tip. 616 00:37:22,291 --> 00:37:24,371 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. They don't want to go anywhere near the 617 00:37:24,411 --> 00:37:26,891 Speaker 2: Auj case. They're trying to keep it focused on Darren 618 00:37:26,891 --> 00:37:28,651 Speaker 2: Hager and Darren Hager alone. 619 00:37:31,251 --> 00:37:35,211 Speaker 1: But the AJ case comes up again and again, because 620 00:37:35,251 --> 00:37:38,531 Speaker 1: what this trial is ultimately about is whether Hagar should 621 00:37:38,531 --> 00:37:43,371 Speaker 1: have been pursuing the informant's claims about Deputy Angles. Remember, 622 00:37:43,891 --> 00:37:46,811 Speaker 1: Detective Joe Holmes says that Angles had an alibi for 623 00:37:46,851 --> 00:37:50,210 Speaker 1: when auj disappeared. He says Angles was at home while 624 00:37:50,211 --> 00:37:53,571 Speaker 1: his wife was at the beauty salon. It's a detail 625 00:37:53,611 --> 00:37:56,931 Speaker 1: that Hager's attorney questions Angles about. 626 00:37:57,491 --> 00:37:59,690 Speaker 2: Did you tell Detective Holmes that your wife had a 627 00:37:59,731 --> 00:38:02,451 Speaker 2: beauty shop appointment on June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight. 628 00:38:03,451 --> 00:38:06,931 Speaker 1: No, my wife never goes to the beauty shop. She's 629 00:38:07,051 --> 00:38:08,291 Speaker 1: uglier than a mud fence. 630 00:38:10,451 --> 00:38:15,051 Speaker 2: What is wrong when this man who says that nobody 631 00:38:15,051 --> 00:38:16,850 Speaker 2: says that, I've never heard that saying before. 632 00:38:17,451 --> 00:38:20,651 Speaker 1: It's his folksy way of dunking on his wife. Dude, 633 00:38:20,931 --> 00:38:21,971 Speaker 1: why you gotta bring his wife in? 634 00:38:22,011 --> 00:38:22,171 Speaker 10: Guy? 635 00:38:22,251 --> 00:38:26,411 Speaker 1: I mean, what's even more confusing, though, is that he's 636 00:38:26,491 --> 00:38:31,771 Speaker 1: doing something that's so obviously against his own self interest. 637 00:38:32,651 --> 00:38:36,571 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's undermining what Holmes said when Holmes was trying 638 00:38:36,611 --> 00:38:37,571 Speaker 2: to give him an alibi. 639 00:38:38,011 --> 00:38:40,091 Speaker 1: I'm just like, no, I didn't say that, which is 640 00:38:40,171 --> 00:38:42,691 Speaker 1: essentially saying no, I didn't have an alibi. 641 00:38:42,571 --> 00:38:43,811 Speaker 2: Which makes no sense. 642 00:38:44,731 --> 00:38:47,371 Speaker 1: So one of these guys, Angles or Holmes has to 643 00:38:47,411 --> 00:38:49,690 Speaker 1: be lying mm hmm. And I don't think it's the 644 00:38:49,731 --> 00:38:54,131 Speaker 1: guy who's volunteering information about his wife being ugly. 645 00:38:54,331 --> 00:38:54,851 Speaker 10: M m. 646 00:38:56,371 --> 00:39:00,091 Speaker 1: Hager's attorney continues to dig into this supposed alibi. 647 00:39:01,651 --> 00:39:04,091 Speaker 2: Once Joe Holmes told you you were not working on 648 00:39:04,171 --> 00:39:06,891 Speaker 2: June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight, were you able to figure 649 00:39:06,931 --> 00:39:08,891 Speaker 2: out what you were in fact doing that day? 650 00:39:09,971 --> 00:39:10,131 Speaker 11: No? 651 00:39:11,291 --> 00:39:14,131 Speaker 2: Did Joe Holmes ever review any phone records that you had? 652 00:39:15,091 --> 00:39:15,531 Speaker 15: I don't know. 653 00:39:16,651 --> 00:39:20,931 Speaker 2: Did he ever come to your house? Nope? Did Joe 654 00:39:20,971 --> 00:39:22,811 Speaker 2: Holmes ever ask to search your house? 655 00:39:23,051 --> 00:39:23,131 Speaker 8: No? 656 00:39:24,531 --> 00:39:27,171 Speaker 2: Did he ever ask to review your phone records? Nope? 657 00:39:28,491 --> 00:39:30,931 Speaker 2: Did you tell Joe Holmes that you were home on 658 00:39:31,011 --> 00:39:33,571 Speaker 2: June eleventh, nineteen ninety eight, I don't. 659 00:39:33,451 --> 00:39:38,451 Speaker 1: Remember what I was doing then. It's very strange to 660 00:39:38,491 --> 00:39:43,491 Speaker 1: me that, twelve years after Auja's disappearance, Angles still doesn't 661 00:39:43,531 --> 00:39:47,011 Speaker 1: know what he was doing that day. I mean thought experiment, 662 00:39:47,771 --> 00:39:51,371 Speaker 1: you're accused of murdering someone on a certain day, you'd 663 00:39:51,451 --> 00:39:53,451 Speaker 1: figure out what you were doing. 664 00:39:53,211 --> 00:39:56,250 Speaker 2: Then, right, Yeah, you would rack your brain and go 665 00:39:56,291 --> 00:39:58,931 Speaker 2: through your receipts and try and put together some sort 666 00:39:58,971 --> 00:40:00,011 Speaker 2: of timeline of where you were. 667 00:40:00,131 --> 00:40:01,931 Speaker 1: And Angle's just like, I don't know. 668 00:40:02,451 --> 00:40:06,771 Speaker 2: It's almost like he's bragging about how little effort the 669 00:40:06,771 --> 00:40:08,690 Speaker 2: Sheriff's department put into their investigation. 670 00:40:10,451 --> 00:40:14,091 Speaker 1: But Hagar's attorney doesn't let Angles off so easily. He 671 00:40:14,211 --> 00:40:18,331 Speaker 1: teas up Angles for his coop to Graw. He presses 672 00:40:18,411 --> 00:40:23,611 Speaker 1: him about why the Sheriff's department dismissed information from numerous informants. 673 00:40:25,491 --> 00:40:29,011 Speaker 2: Council asked you about this tweaker talk. It's not different 674 00:40:29,091 --> 00:40:31,730 Speaker 2: than any other social group, is it, where people get 675 00:40:31,771 --> 00:40:36,451 Speaker 2: together and talk about things. It's very different. And it's 676 00:40:36,491 --> 00:40:41,051 Speaker 2: different because they're criminals. No, because they do drugs. 677 00:40:41,531 --> 00:40:45,171 Speaker 1: They do drugs, they steal. If you ever had anyone 678 00:40:45,211 --> 00:40:47,571 Speaker 1: come and tell you that they've seen a giant snake 679 00:40:47,771 --> 00:40:51,571 Speaker 1: that's sixty feet long and about five feet around, slithering 680 00:40:51,571 --> 00:40:54,771 Speaker 1: across the desert in the buttes, that was a rumor 681 00:40:54,811 --> 00:40:57,171 Speaker 1: that was going around in the tweaking community at one time. 682 00:40:57,971 --> 00:41:03,411 Speaker 2: It's a little bit different than water cooler talk. Deputy Angles, 683 00:41:03,811 --> 00:41:06,810 Speaker 2: you saw bigfoot, didn't you? I did? 684 00:41:07,611 --> 00:41:09,131 Speaker 1: I believe it was, and. 685 00:41:09,211 --> 00:41:12,851 Speaker 2: You reported a bigfoot sighting to the Annalo Valley Shriff's Department. 686 00:41:13,651 --> 00:41:16,531 Speaker 2: I did, Were you a tweaker? 687 00:41:17,531 --> 00:41:17,730 Speaker 10: No? 688 00:41:21,331 --> 00:41:25,051 Speaker 1: This courtroom scene distills for me what so much of 689 00:41:25,091 --> 00:41:30,811 Speaker 1: this story is about. We have these two competing versions 690 00:41:30,931 --> 00:41:36,771 Speaker 1: of reality. Yeah, several informants come forward say this is 691 00:41:36,771 --> 00:41:40,250 Speaker 1: what happened. John A Day was murdered, and they're automatically 692 00:41:40,251 --> 00:41:43,690 Speaker 1: dismissed because of their history of drug use. On the 693 00:41:43,731 --> 00:41:45,651 Speaker 1: other hand, we have Angles and he's like, Nope, it 694 00:41:45,691 --> 00:41:51,331 Speaker 1: didn't happen, and he's automatically given credible narrator status because 695 00:41:51,371 --> 00:41:53,771 Speaker 1: he's a deputy in the La County Shaff's apartment. 696 00:41:54,371 --> 00:41:57,611 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's really like Angles is just getting 697 00:41:57,651 --> 00:42:00,011 Speaker 2: a carte blanche get out of jail free card. 698 00:42:01,171 --> 00:42:06,451 Speaker 1: Literally, the LSD would have final say on all this 699 00:42:06,931 --> 00:42:09,131 Speaker 1: if it weren't for the fact that Hagar puts that 700 00:42:09,491 --> 00:42:13,491 Speaker 1: whole line of reasoning on trial. Hagar's lawyer, in his 701 00:42:13,611 --> 00:42:17,891 Speaker 1: closing argument says, Darren Hager should still be a deputy 702 00:42:17,931 --> 00:42:21,571 Speaker 1: sheriff and Darren Hager is not a deputy sheriff because 703 00:42:21,731 --> 00:42:24,371 Speaker 1: he did his job, He did as he was ordered, 704 00:42:24,771 --> 00:42:27,011 Speaker 1: and he did it in a context of a sheriff's 705 00:42:27,011 --> 00:42:29,290 Speaker 1: department that did not want to hear what they were 706 00:42:29,291 --> 00:42:32,571 Speaker 1: being told, would not confront the issues they were being told, 707 00:42:32,971 --> 00:42:37,131 Speaker 1: and instead decided to cover up and bury the entire issue, 708 00:42:37,211 --> 00:42:41,131 Speaker 1: and the issue ladies and gentlemen is very simply corruption 709 00:42:41,531 --> 00:42:42,891 Speaker 1: within the Sheriff's department. 710 00:42:46,371 --> 00:42:48,891 Speaker 2: Darren Hagar has been waiting a long time for this 711 00:42:49,051 --> 00:42:52,971 Speaker 2: moment to tell his side of the story. He wants 712 00:42:53,011 --> 00:42:55,371 Speaker 2: to be vindicated, to show that he was fired for 713 00:42:55,451 --> 00:42:59,051 Speaker 2: doing the right thing. And for Hagar, there's a lot 714 00:42:59,211 --> 00:43:02,451 Speaker 2: riding on the outcome of the trial because the disgrace 715 00:43:02,491 --> 00:43:05,331 Speaker 2: of being fired followed him around like a dark cloud. 716 00:43:06,371 --> 00:43:09,411 Speaker 2: Hagar had tried to start again. He looked for jobs 717 00:43:09,531 --> 00:43:11,451 Speaker 2: and security and private investigation. 718 00:43:12,411 --> 00:43:16,091 Speaker 3: It's hard to get a job when you say, yeah, 719 00:43:16,131 --> 00:43:17,931 Speaker 3: I just got fired because they said I was lying 720 00:43:18,011 --> 00:43:21,331 Speaker 3: on all my police reports. A lot of those jobs 721 00:43:21,371 --> 00:43:23,011 Speaker 3: just went nowhere. It was a dead end. As soon 722 00:43:23,051 --> 00:43:23,770 Speaker 3: as I went through my. 723 00:43:23,771 --> 00:43:29,371 Speaker 2: Interview, nothing panned out. He filed for bankruptcy and didn't 724 00:43:29,411 --> 00:43:32,091 Speaker 2: know how he was going to support his family. On 725 00:43:32,171 --> 00:43:36,131 Speaker 2: top of everything, Hager was shunned and isolated, and the 726 00:43:36,171 --> 00:43:40,371 Speaker 2: one friend he had held onto homicide detective Larry Brandenburg, 727 00:43:41,131 --> 00:43:43,290 Speaker 2: that relationship would go south too. 728 00:43:44,491 --> 00:43:47,091 Speaker 3: Him and I went into the Buffalo business together, and 729 00:43:47,131 --> 00:43:49,411 Speaker 3: that he never do business with friends. 730 00:43:50,651 --> 00:43:54,730 Speaker 2: The two argued over finances and workloads and ultimately had 731 00:43:54,771 --> 00:43:57,531 Speaker 2: a falling out that led to the dissolution of the company. 732 00:43:58,411 --> 00:44:01,011 Speaker 3: Well, didn't see eye to eye, and I have nothing 733 00:44:01,051 --> 00:44:03,571 Speaker 3: against Larry about what he did or what he didn't do. 734 00:44:03,891 --> 00:44:07,011 Speaker 3: He had some things against me because I didn't put 735 00:44:07,011 --> 00:44:09,051 Speaker 3: in the money that he did since I was fired 736 00:44:09,051 --> 00:44:11,891 Speaker 3: and thing like that. So he was pretty upset with 737 00:44:11,931 --> 00:44:14,730 Speaker 3: me and he just split and that was into that. 738 00:44:16,691 --> 00:44:19,331 Speaker 2: After years of emotional turmoil and being put through the 739 00:44:19,411 --> 00:44:22,730 Speaker 2: legal ringer, Hagar is ready to put this chapter of 740 00:44:22,771 --> 00:44:24,371 Speaker 2: life behind him. 741 00:44:25,011 --> 00:44:27,131 Speaker 3: So you had to start from step one, and that's 742 00:44:27,171 --> 00:44:29,771 Speaker 3: what I did, and the same time as fighting the 743 00:44:29,811 --> 00:44:32,210 Speaker 3: case in court for years and years and years. 744 00:44:33,331 --> 00:44:35,651 Speaker 2: And now the time has finally come for the case 745 00:44:35,691 --> 00:44:39,851 Speaker 2: to be decided. After two days of deliberation, the jury 746 00:44:40,011 --> 00:44:43,250 Speaker 2: files back into the courtroom. Hager and his lawyer Rick 747 00:44:43,331 --> 00:44:45,131 Speaker 2: Love brace for their judgment. 748 00:44:46,331 --> 00:44:51,651 Speaker 3: I remember when the jury read the verdict, Rick gives 749 00:44:51,691 --> 00:44:54,611 Speaker 3: me a big hug and everything he goes congratulations. 750 00:44:56,371 --> 00:44:59,571 Speaker 2: Hagar wins his suit and the court awards him four 751 00:44:59,611 --> 00:45:01,611 Speaker 2: point five million dollars in damages. 752 00:45:03,011 --> 00:45:05,210 Speaker 3: The one guy a foreman order, He goes, I hope 753 00:45:05,211 --> 00:45:07,770 Speaker 3: this will help you get your life back in order. 754 00:45:07,811 --> 00:45:10,011 Speaker 3: And I got thank you for seeing our side of 755 00:45:10,011 --> 00:45:12,690 Speaker 3: the story, Rick and I went out and had one 756 00:45:12,731 --> 00:45:15,171 Speaker 3: beer after the court and then I was it and 757 00:45:15,211 --> 00:45:18,051 Speaker 3: I went back to the hotel. I called my ex 758 00:45:18,131 --> 00:45:21,690 Speaker 3: wife to tell her I think my son's going to 759 00:45:21,771 --> 00:45:23,651 Speaker 3: be all right. That's all I remember. 760 00:45:24,571 --> 00:45:25,331 Speaker 4: I left it at that. 761 00:45:29,131 --> 00:45:32,730 Speaker 2: The County of La later appeals the court's decision, and 762 00:45:32,771 --> 00:45:36,850 Speaker 2: Hager's payout is cut in half. The money he does 763 00:45:36,891 --> 00:45:42,291 Speaker 2: get quickly dissipates between lawyer fees and living expenses, but 764 00:45:42,331 --> 00:45:46,171 Speaker 2: Hager says it was never about the money. He accomplished 765 00:45:46,211 --> 00:45:48,611 Speaker 2: what he set out to do to prove that he 766 00:45:48,691 --> 00:45:52,531 Speaker 2: was fired for doing his job, a job that towards 767 00:45:52,531 --> 00:45:55,611 Speaker 2: the end included putting away some of the Antelope Valleys 768 00:45:55,691 --> 00:46:00,770 Speaker 2: heavy hitting meth suppliers. Tom Hinkel was charged with conspiracy 769 00:46:00,851 --> 00:46:04,571 Speaker 2: to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to almost five years 770 00:46:04,571 --> 00:46:08,250 Speaker 2: in prison. And then there was outlaw biker big Rick, 771 00:46:09,011 --> 00:46:11,771 Speaker 2: the guy who allegedly bragged about killing Auj in the 772 00:46:11,811 --> 00:46:14,451 Speaker 2: punch bowl and then showed a woman where the deputy 773 00:46:14,491 --> 00:46:18,451 Speaker 2: had been buried. Big Rick was charged with conspiracy to 774 00:46:18,571 --> 00:46:22,691 Speaker 2: manufacture and distribute meth and sentenced to eleven years in prison. 775 00:46:23,931 --> 00:46:27,491 Speaker 2: After that, Hagar took the La County Sheriff's Department to 776 00:46:27,571 --> 00:46:30,411 Speaker 2: task and slayed his goliath. 777 00:46:31,731 --> 00:46:34,451 Speaker 3: They lost the battle, but not really sure if they 778 00:46:34,451 --> 00:46:35,491 Speaker 3: won the laureate or not. 779 00:46:38,251 --> 00:46:41,491 Speaker 2: That's because the Sheriff's Department is still sitting on the 780 00:46:41,531 --> 00:46:46,051 Speaker 2: Auj case. They allowed Deputy Angles to continue on as 781 00:46:46,091 --> 00:46:50,730 Speaker 2: the resident Deputy of Pair Blossom, while Hagar continues to 782 00:46:50,771 --> 00:46:52,131 Speaker 2: be haunted by the whole ordeal. 783 00:46:53,171 --> 00:46:55,730 Speaker 3: I don't forget about the day I die to my 784 00:46:55,971 --> 00:46:59,451 Speaker 3: brain's not working anymore. I kicked myself in the ass 785 00:46:59,491 --> 00:47:01,850 Speaker 3: for it all the time, because I think I could 786 00:47:01,851 --> 00:47:05,171 Speaker 3: have solved it. At least John would have had maybe 787 00:47:05,171 --> 00:47:08,091 Speaker 3: a burial or close case. 788 00:47:11,851 --> 00:47:14,770 Speaker 2: We thought this was where the story was going to end, 789 00:47:15,931 --> 00:47:18,651 Speaker 2: but then we discovered that back in two thousand and six, 790 00:47:19,411 --> 00:47:24,451 Speaker 2: something happened that seems to validate Hagar and Brandenburg's investigation 791 00:47:24,571 --> 00:47:29,290 Speaker 2: into Rick Angles. A young woman and her father were 792 00:47:29,371 --> 00:47:35,371 Speaker 2: shot inside Deputy angles home with Deputy Angles gun. It 793 00:47:35,491 --> 00:47:40,411 Speaker 2: was a horrific scene, but most shocking of all these 794 00:47:40,451 --> 00:47:45,571 Speaker 2: suspicious deaths were quickly ruled suicides, and just like in 795 00:47:45,611 --> 00:47:49,571 Speaker 2: the Aujay case, the La County Sheriff's Department tried to 796 00:47:49,611 --> 00:47:55,770 Speaker 2: bury the matter, but a long overdue reconciliation between two 797 00:47:55,891 --> 00:48:00,690 Speaker 2: former Buffalo farmers might help expose why so many suspicious 798 00:48:00,691 --> 00:48:05,251 Speaker 2: deaths have piled up in the Devil's Punch Bowl area. 799 00:48:05,331 --> 00:48:08,011 Speaker 3: So with all the stink about angles, wouldn't you think 800 00:48:08,091 --> 00:48:08,371 Speaker 3: you know. 801 00:48:08,411 --> 00:48:10,171 Speaker 1: What this guy? 802 00:48:10,331 --> 00:48:14,451 Speaker 3: If he did this, he is a stole, cold blooded killer. 803 00:48:16,971 --> 00:48:41,491 Speaker 1: That's next time on the final episode of Valley of Shadows. 804 00:48:46,251 --> 00:48:49,091 Speaker 1: If you have any information or tips related to the 805 00:48:49,091 --> 00:48:51,051 Speaker 1: disappearance of John Aujay. 806 00:48:51,211 --> 00:48:55,411 Speaker 2: Please call two one three two six two nine eight 807 00:48:55,491 --> 00:49:01,571 Speaker 2: eight nine or email Shadows at Pushkin dot FM. Valley 808 00:49:01,611 --> 00:49:05,971 Speaker 2: of Shadows is reported, written and produced by us Haley 809 00:49:06,011 --> 00:49:10,571 Speaker 2: Fox and Betsy Shepherd. Our editor is Dianne Hodson. Our 810 00:49:10,611 --> 00:49:16,051 Speaker 2: executive producers are Jacob Smith and Alexandra Garreton. Original music 811 00:49:16,091 --> 00:49:20,451 Speaker 2: by Jake Gorsky, Ray Lynch, Mike Jersich, and Hayden Gardner. 812 00:49:21,251 --> 00:49:25,451 Speaker 2: Sound designed by Jake Gorsky, fact checking by Aica Robbins. 813 00:49:26,011 --> 00:49:30,411 Speaker 2: Additional production support by Sonya Gerwy and Our show art 814 00:49:30,531 --> 00:49:34,971 Speaker 2: was designed by Sean Harney and Betsy Shepherd. Special thanks 815 00:49:34,971 --> 00:49:39,451 Speaker 2: to Nick White for show art photography. Valley of Shadows 816 00:49:39,531 --> 00:49:43,811 Speaker 2: is a production of Pushkin Industries. To find more Pushkin Podcasts. 817 00:49:44,131 --> 00:49:47,771 Speaker 2: Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you 818 00:49:47,891 --> 00:49:52,251 Speaker 2: listen to podcasts from Type two Fun. We're Haley and Betsy. 819 00:49:52,811 --> 00:49:53,691 Speaker 2: See you next week. 820 00:50:18,971 --> 00:50:22,331 Speaker 1: Subscribe to Pushkin Plus to hear the entire season of 821 00:50:22,411 --> 00:50:26,890 Speaker 1: Valley of Shadows ad free starting January twelfth. You'll also 822 00:50:26,971 --> 00:50:31,051 Speaker 1: get bonus episodes, full audiobooks, and early ad free listening 823 00:50:31,131 --> 00:50:35,011 Speaker 1: from your favorite Pushkin hosts and authors. Find Pushkin Plus 824 00:50:35,051 --> 00:50:37,971 Speaker 1: on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple Podcasts. 825 00:50:38,131 --> 00:50:42,651 Speaker 1: We're at pushkin dot fm, slash plus. Thanks for your support.