Rapper says LASD deputies threatened to shoot him for sitting in his car

Rapper filing claim against LASD for New Year's Eve encounter

Darral Scott, a LA-based rapper who goes by Feezy Lebron is filing a claim against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after he was detained on New Year's Eve.

GARDENA, Calif. - A Los Angeles-based rapper is filing a $10 million claim against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, saying that deputies threatened to shoot him while he sat in his car in a public parking lot on New Year's Eve. The LASD released body camera footage of the interaction Wednesday.

Darral Scott, who goes by the name Feezy Lebron, was sitting in his car in the parking lot off Crenshaw Boulevard in Gardena on Dec. 31, 2022, when he was approached by LASD deputies. Scott was on Instagram at the time deputies approached him. In the video, Scott can be heard telling the deputy that he was waiting to meet up with a friend.

Scott said the deputy immediately reached into his car and tried to grab his arm. Soon after, a second deputy, whose body camera footage the LASD released Wednedsay, is seen approaching the car and threatening to spray Scott with pepper spray. Seconds later the deputy pulls out his gun.

"You take off in this car I'm gonna shoot you. I'll make it super easy on you," the deputy is heard saying in the footage. "You put this car in drive you're getting one right to the chest. I don't care what you got, I don't care if you've got bull---- on you, but guess what, bro? Now, you gotta deal with it. But if you pull some bull----, you're gonna take one to the chest."

Deputy tries to intimidate, threatens to kill man in South LA

A deputy is heard in a body camera video threatening to kill a man with his gun as the man keeps his hands up in front of multiple deputies on scene.

Scott eventually gets out of the car, and is cited for a missing license plate.

One of Scott's attorneys described the scene at a press conference Wednesday as "a man who is primarily charged with parking while Black in a public parking facility doing nothing other than talking on his phone."

Scott said he tried to file a complaint later that night at the Sheriff Substation, but claims he was made to wait for hours, with officers discouraging him, including a confrontation with the deputy against whom he was trying to file the complaint.

The LA County Sheriff's Department will not comment on pending litigation, but did release the following statement:

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has opened an investigation into this incident. While the Department does not make statements related to ongoing investigations, Sheriff Luna has made it clear that he expects Department personnel to treat all members of the public with dignity and respect, and that personnel who do not uphold our training standards will be held accountable. In the interest of transparency with our community, the Sheriff’s Department is releasing body-worn camera video from the incident.

Background:

On December 31, 2022, at approximately 5:45 p.m., two deputies were conducting a patrol check at the 14900 block of Crenshaw Boulevard in the unincorporated area of South Los Angeles. While on the scene, their attention was drawn to a man sitting in a car in the parking lot. The contact with the man resulted in a citation for a missing license plate. The man was detained but not arrested. During the contact, the deputies ordered the man to exit his car. One deputy displayed pepper spray, then drew his firearm and used unprofessional language, which later resulted in a complaint filed by that community member. The Sheriff’s Department has opened an investigation into the deputies’ actions and language