Police Officer is Suing Over Whitney Houston Death Scene

Newsflash from your Hollywood Attorney:

Brian Weir has filed a lawsuit against the city of Beverly Hills regarding his treatment following inappropriate comments made by another officer during the investigation of the singer's death in February 2012.

Police officer Brian Weir is suing the city of Beverly Hills for damages in regards to the investigation following Whitney Houston's death on Feb. 11, 2012, when another officer allegedly made inappropriate comments about her appearance.

In legal papers that were filed at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, Weir -- who was assigned as a sergeant in the SWAT team and K-9 units of the Beverly Hills Police Department at the time -- responded to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston was found, and attempted to secure the crime scene.

In order to prevent contamination, he covered Houston's body with a sheet. He claims that Detective Sergeant  (now Lieutenant) Terry Nutall arrived at the scene and removed the sheet that covered her pubic region "and came in close proximity to touching the body of the decedent while making inappropriate comments," including that she "looked attractive for a woman of her age and current state," according to the court documents.

The lawsuit claims that Nutall violated federal rules against moving a body without the coroner's permission and that he treated the body "in a way that would outrage ordinary family sensibilities."

The suit states that members of the police department and the city of Beverly Hills -- including Chief of Police David Snowden, Captain Tony Lee, Lieutenant Nutall and Lieutenant Lincoln Hoshino -- took reprisal actions against Weir when he disclosed this information.

After complaining to his superiors, Weir was removed from his position with the SWAT team and K-9 units and denied promotion and favorable job assignments, as well as undergoing the loss of overtime and special pay, and was allegedly ostracized and harassed.

The case claims that the "substantial motivating reason" for these actions was retaliation for the information that Weir disclosed, and that this has caused him to lose income including pensions and benefits amounting to a sum to be determined during the trial. In addition, he has "become mentally upset, distressed and aggravated."

Weir is seeking damages for actual, consequential and incidental losses, emotional distress, injunctive relief to restore him to the position of SWAT and K-9 Sergeant and attorney fees and legal costs.

When reached for comment, Beverly Hills Police Department public relations officer Lt. Hoshino told THR: "Unfortunately the police department and the city have not been served in the matter. Other than the fact that I am receiving phone calls from reporters on this, we haven't seen the lawsuit yet, so I can comment on it without seeing it and without consulting the city attorney. We are waiting to be served."

Source.... HR

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