Caree Harper
Top rated Civil Rights attorney in Santa Monica, California
Practice Areas:
Civil Rights,
Criminal Defense
Education Qualification:
Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Practice Areas:
Civil rights,
Criminal defense
401 Wilshire Blvd Suite 1200Santa Monica, California, 90401
First Admitted: 2002, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.careeharper.com/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Solo and Small Firm- California Lawyers Association, 2020
- Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles, 2020
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- $7.5 million settlement in the matter of Williams et. al. v. Pasadena P.D. Officer Edwin Dumuguindin et. al. / Officer shot and killed passenger Anthony McClain as he ran from a pretext car stop for no front license plate., 2022
- $5.25 Million dollars settlement. Towns et. al. v. County of Los Angeles Altadena county sheriffs deputies shot and killed Charles Towns in January 2023. Ms. Harper got his two sons $5.25 million settlement for this wrongful shooting., 2024
- Mariscal v. CHP Ofc Ledesma Case#04cv9087 CAS-E $500,000. Jury Verdict for Plaintiff David Mariscal (Police Misconduct case) Martin Ledesma in which jury found Officer Ledesma violated the civil rights of David Mariscal after the cross-examination of the Officer by attorney Caree Harper., 2007
- Charges Dismissed Against Black Lives Matter Protesters after trialhttps://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-black-lives-matter-trial-20160318-story.html, 2016
- http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-pasadena-police-reginald-thomas-20180402-story.html Pasadena Police officers responded to a call from Reginald Thomas, who was suffering from a mental crisis and possible intoxication, requesting help. Police, beat, tased, kicked and ultimately suffocated Mr. Thomas in front of two of his children. After the Defendant officers pled the 5th and refused to answer questions Attorney Harper was successful on pretrial motions to preclude the officers from testifying at trial at all. The City then settled for $1.5 million. usat.ly/Ve5Jnk, 2018
- McDade v. City of Pasadena Pasadena PD Officers Mathin Griffin and Jeffrey Newlen responded to a call of a robbery that just occurred. It is important to note that this incident occurred just a few short weeks after George Zimmerman shot and killed Travon Martin after chasing him down. Kendrec Mcdade has chased down the streets of Pasadena with all of their lights out and Kendrec never knew that it was police chasing him. After hitting him with the car Officer Griffin began shooting Kendrec while seated in the vehicle. Thinking that his partner was taking fire, officer Newlen shot Kendrec as well. In short, Kendrec was shot 8 times for running from police. Pasadena settled for $1.5 Million., 2014
- 2004: Six-figure settlement in Franklin v. City of Inglewood CV02-6273 SJO-E; 2005: Came into case on first day of trial to assist a distressed colleague; assumed examination of key witnesses and this led to a jury verdict and "kudos" from the Chief Justice of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Alex Kozinski; in Ellison v. Lounty of Los Angeles CV-02-2111 AK-E 2007: $500,000.00 jury trial verdict in the matter of Mariscal v. C.H.P. Ofc. Ledesma CV 04-9087 CAS-E 2008: Jury verdict in 4th Amendment case Nunn v. Co. of Orange CV -06-2275 AG-JC, 2007
- Marlene Pinnock v. CHP Officer Daniel Andrew, 14cv05551. $1.5 million dollar settlement for Plaintiff. (Police misconduct) CHP officer Daniel Andrew was seen on a video that went viral beating a homeless woman on the 10 freeway in Los Angeles. Attorney Harper set precedent by having the terms of the OFFICER'S TERMINATION FROM THE POLICE FORCE embodied in the Settlement Agreement. The case resolved and Atty Harper protected the plaintiff's funds in a special needs trust., 2014
- Clinton D. Alford v. Beck et al 14-cv-08874-FMO-AGR (Police misconduct) $500,000.00 Settlement A Los Angeles man, misidentified by LAPD, ran from undercover officers in 2014. A surveillance camera caught one officer repeatedly punches the young man and then punctuates the beating with a kick to the head. After the officer kicked the man so hard as to dislodge the filling from his tooth he was dragged to the patrol car and a prosecuted for resisting arrest. Attorney Harper stepped into the criminal case, where the public defender was about to plead him out to the charge, and ultimately Harper had all charges dismissed. A later federal lawsuit resulted in a $500,000.00 settlement. The officer was prosecuted criminally for excessive force. http://abc7.com/news/22-year-old-man-claims-excessive-force-by-lapd;-1-of-2-charges-dismissed-/372420/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWyjYhER1fE, 2017
Videos:
- Black elderly woman thrown down by young White LA Sheriffs deputy at #Lancaster #WinCo., Houseton v. #WinCo on #Fox, Excessive Force Litigation, 2023
- Pasadena, PD man and adored father killed in a preventable encounter with police after he has a Medical/ mental breakdown and calls police., Reginald Thomas beaten, kicked & suffocated by PPD Aaron Villacana, 2018
- #MarlenePinnock viciously beaten by CHP officer #DanielAndrew. Attorney Caree Harper successfully negotiated a swift $1.5 million settlement that included the termination of the officer. , #CHP Beating Survivor Marlene Pinnock, 2014
Representative Clients:
- Rolonda Watts (talk show host); Desreta Jackson (Actress "The Color Purple"); Kevin Black (V.P. Sony Records)
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Basic Certificate- Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) # B64630 Issued by Gov. Pete Wilson, 1991
- ABA Paralegal Certification from Saint Mary's College of Moraga (Civil Litigation Specialty), 1995
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Grizzly Youth Academy. Mentor to troubled youth, 2003
- Pro bono work for indigent in the City of Pasadena
Honors/Awards:
- Southern California Super Lawyers
- Named one of the National Trial Lawyers "Top 100" since 2014
- Selected by peers as one of the Top 100 Attorneys in Civil Rights and Criminal Defense, "Top 100" Attorneys, National Trial Attorneys (NTL), 2014
- Shirley Fields Volunteer Award
- "In recognition of outstanding and invaluable service to the community"., Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, U.S. House of Representatives, 2005
- In the 1990s, Caree Harper was a police officer in the Bay Area. Although having a fear of water, Harper received a Life Saving Award for diving into a canal of water, pulling out a submerged driver and administering CPR until help arrived. The victim was airlifted to safety and fully recovered., Police officer, CHP
Educational Background:
- Saint Mary's College of Moraga, Moraga CA / B.A., 1997
- Santa Clara University Law Center, Santa Clara CA: Death Penalty Investigation Training ("C.A.Ps"), 1995
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