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Los Angeles DA Reduces Charges Against LAPD Officer Who Taped Colleagues Making Racist Remarks
Hochman said the case will likely end in a diversion agreement, which could let Flores avoid jail if he completes about a year of court terms.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced on Wednesday that he will reduce 16 felony eavesdropping charges against LAPD Officer Daniel Flores to misdemeanors, following significant public backlash over the prosecution.
Flores had faced felony counts for secretly recording 16 colleagues in 2024, capturing them making racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks about Black, Asian, and Latino people.
Critics, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, argued that prosecuting Flores for exposing misconduct sent a "really, really scary message" and would deter future whistleblowers from coming forward.
Flores is expected to enter a one-year diversion program, allowing him to avoid prison time and potentially have the charges dismissed if he remains law-abiding for the full year.
While reiterating that Flores violated California's "two-party consent" law, Hochman acknowledged that the original felony filing blurred the office's message about protecting whistleblowers who use legitimate means to expose corruption.