February 4, 2000
Web posted at: 7:03 p.m. EST (0003 GMT)

	VIDEO
CNN's Charles Feldman details the innocent people caught in the middle of police corruption. Windows Media 28K 80K

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- With the Los Angeles Police Department embroiled in a corruption scandal, at least three officers face possible criminal charges and the city council was told this week to brace for lawsuits that could hit $125 million or higher.

The scandal came to light after the arrest and prosecution of former police officer Rafael Perez, a member of an anti-gang unit, convicted of stealing cocaine from an evidence room.

Cooperating with investigators in order to receive a lighter sentence, he has alleged that officers made up evidence, lied in court to win convictions on false charges, perjured themselves, assaulted and even shot people.

Since September, when the scandal broke, 32 criminal cases have been dismissed and 20 officers have either been relieved of duty, suspended, fired or have quit.

Police Chief Bernard Parks said last week that as many as 57 prosecutions involving 99 people may have been tainted.

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