Lawyer changes for teen at center of Bay Area police sex scandal
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Prominent Bay Area civil rights attorney John Burris announced Friday that he has taken over as lead counsel for a young woman at the center of a sexual exploitation scandal that has led to charges against several law enforcement officers in the region.
Burris, who has handled many cases alleging excessive force and other types of misconduct by law enforcement, will handle claims filed on behalf of the 19-year-old woman against multiple jurisdictions.
"I am just now getting into the case and do not have any other public statements to make at this time," Burris said in a statement.
The woman, who was previously been known as Celeste Guap but now prefers to go by her given name of Jasmin Abuslin, has alleged that she had sex with a number of Bay Area law enforcement officers, including some while she was underage. In return, some officers tipped her off to planned police enforcement actions.
Attorneys Pamela Price and Charles Bonner filed a claim on Sept. 30 on behalf of the woman against the city of San Francisco seeking $18 million in damages.
Earlier in September, Price and Bonner also filed claims against Oakland and Richmond totaling $96 million. The claims are precursors to possible lawsuits and the jurisdictions have six months to respond.
On Thursday, Price announced she was no longer representing the woman. Bonner will remain on the case as associate counsel, according to Burris' office.
The sex trafficking allegations involving the woman have resulted in criminal charges announced against five current and former Oakland police officers, a former Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy and a former Livermore police officer.
One of the Oakland officers, Giovanni LoVerde, is due in Alameda County Superior Court later today for arraignment on a charge of felony oral copulation with a minor.