Javier Ovando
{{short description|Honduran victim of police brutality in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
Javier Francisco Ovando (born {{circa}}1977) is a Honduran man who became a central figure in the LAPD Rampart scandal when he was shot and framed by corrupt Rampart officers Rafael Pérez and Nino Durden. Ovando is an immigrant to the United States and a former member of the powerful 18th Street gang. He is the recipient of the largest police misconduct settlement in Los Angeles history.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/lapd/scandal/cron.html|title=The Scandal - Rampart Scandal Timeline | PBS - L.a.p.d. Blues | FRONTLINE|website=www.pbs.org}}
Officers Durden and Pérez entered then 19-year-old Ovando's apartment on October 12, 1996, and shot him, leaving him paralyzed.{{cite web|url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/sep1999/lapd-s23.shtml|title=Ovando Shooting|date=September 23, 1999 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/1999/091599javolv.html|title=StreetGangs.com|access-date=May 9, 2023|archive-date=September 13, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913170131/http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/1999/091599javolv.html|url-status=bot: unknown}} According to the officers' testimony later, they planted a gun on him and reported that the unarmed Ovando had fired on them first. Ovando, paralyzed from the waist down, was sentenced to 23 years in prison based on the officers' testimony.
Release and settlement
On September 16, 1999, Ovando was released from prison after Perez recanted his earlier testimony. The District Attorney's office filed a writ of habeas corpus overturning Ovando's conviction. Ovando had spent two-and-a-half years incarcerated.
On November 21, 2000, Ovando received a $15 million settlement, the largest police misconduct settlement in Los Angeles history.{{cite web | title=Informant in LAPD scandal freed from prison - July 24, 2001 | website=CNN.com | date=July 24, 2001 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2001/LAW/07/24/lapd.corruption/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220115154/http://www.cnn.com/2001/LAW/07/24/lapd.corruption/ | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | url-status=live | access-date=August 10, 2021}}
In 2008, Ovando fled from an attempted traffic stop and led police officers on an hour long high speed pursuit. He was subsequently charged with felony evading and assault on a police officer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/20080815/rampart-figure-shot-paralyzed-by-cops-charged-with-evading-police-battery/|title=Rampart figure shot, paralyzed by cops charged with evading police, battery |website=Los Angeles Daily News |date=August 15, 2008}}{{Cite web|url=https://abc7.com/archive/6236368/|title=Man framed by cops in '96 leads freeway chase | ABC7 Los Angeles | abc7.com|website=ABC7 Los Angeles}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Rampart Scandal}}
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Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Honduran drug traffickers
Category:Honduran emigrants to the United States
Category:Criminals from Los Angeles
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:People with paraplegia
Category:Police misconduct in the United States
Category:Honduran shooting survivors
Category:Honduran people imprisoned abroad