Judge Rules Against Oakland Cops In Nameplate Flap During Occupy Protest
OAKLAND (CBS/AP) -- A federal judge in California has ruled that an Oakland police officer who covered his nameplate during a November Occupy protest seriously violated court-approved conduct standards for the city's police department.
U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson issued the ruling against officer John Hargraves and Oakland police Lt. Clifford Wong. Wong was accused of failing to report Hargraves' actions to the department's internal affairs unit.
Henderson has not decided whether to hold contempt proceedings against the officers.
The judge ruled obscuring the name badge not only violated state law, but various reforms agreed to after the notorious "Riders" case.
Hargraves has said he concealed his nameplate to protect himself and his family after an Occupy protester posted the name and address of another officer and called for burning down his home.
The action was caught on a video that was posted online.
Hargraves and Wong's lawyer, John Verber, declined to comment.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
