LAPD Provides Details on Alleged Bank Exec Beating

The Force Investigation Division of the Los Angeles Police Department is inquiring about a May 15 incident during which the media director for one of the world's largest banks was hospitalized while being arrested in Highland Park.

Brian Mulligan, managing director and vice chairman of media and telecommunications for Deutsche Bank, alleges that he was arrested without cause for attempting to jimmy open car doors in Highland Park. TMZ.com reports that Mulligan alleges he was beaten by officers after attempting to leave a hotel room where he was held for hours without being given any information about his arrest.

Mulligan is expected to file a lawsuit of up to $100 million against the LAPD and the City Los Angeles this week, according to TMZ.com.

Click here for more details about Mulligan's allegations.

Lt. Andy Neiman, a spokesperson for LAPD, said the Force Investigation Division's inquiry is likely to take up to a year to complete.

He told Patch that Mulligan has never filed any official complaint with LAPD, and that the department first heard his side of the story through TMZ.com.

The LAPD's version of the May 15 events varies significantly from TMZ's story.

According to Neiman, officers first encountered Mulligan at around 10:40 p.m. after being called to the restaurant on Eagle Rock Boulevard, where Mulligan was allegedly attempting to open the doors of cars that were passing through the drive through.

Neiman said that officers on the scene reported that Mulligan appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. A drug recognition expert was called to the scene to conduct a field sobriety test, which showed that Mulligan did not appear to have any drugs in his system.

Officers then took Mulligan to his car, Neiman said, where they found a large sum of cash. The officers then conducted a money count, Neiman said, a standard procedure meant to preclude any accusations of theft.

Mulligan was not arrested, Neiman said, and was taken to the Highland Hotel on Figueroa Street to rest, after complaining of exhaustion.

"That was the last of that incident," Neiman said. 

Police then encountered Mulligan again at about 1 a.m. while responding to a traffic collision near Lincoln Boulevard and Eagle Rock Boulevard.

"Officers saw Mulligan running through traffic and again attempting to open car doors," Neiman said.

When officers approached Mulligan, Neiman said Mulligan "took a fighting stance and charged officers. In controlling him, categorical use of force was employed."

LAPD defines categorical use of force as any use of force that results in the hospitalization of a person.

Neiman said the Force Investigation Division has been asked to determine if the officer's use of force was necessary.