Legal challenges facing the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) escalated when defense attorney Scott Sanders alleged the agency concealed the 2019 Georgia assault conviction of former officer Erik Suarez for nearly seven years. The undisclosed conviction raises serious questions about departmental transparency, Brady disclosure compliance, and systemic integrity across hundreds of criminal prosecutions.
Here is the math. Erik Suarez was indicted by a Cobb County grand jury on two counts of felony aggravated battery after beating a man outside an Atlanta Waffle House in August 2019. Despite receiving a misdemeanor plea deal, Suarez continued working for the LBPD until his resignation in June 2026. According to court filings in Los Angeles Superior Court, the department allegedly kept this conviction secret, insulating the officer’s personnel file from public disclosure and defense discovery requests.
The Bottom Line:
- Systemic Discovery Risk: Defense attorneys argue the concealment violates constitutional Brady v. Maryland requirements, potentially impacting the validity of hundreds of cases touched by Suarez.
- Personnel Record Retention: The LBPD maintains that officer personnel files are released strictly according to applicable law and department policy, though critics point to an alleged unwritten policy of protecting impeachable officer records.
- Broader Legal Repercussions: Defense representation, including Scott Sanders—noted for exposing the Orange County jailhouse snitch scandal—is actively seeking court orders to compel complete file disclosures and dismiss pending charges.
Unpacking the 2019 Waffle House Altercation and Subsequent Legal Fallout
The controversy stems from an incident on August 2019 following an Atlanta Braves game at Truist Park. Victim Kevin Lippelt was assaulted outside an Atlanta Waffle House by Erik Suarez, who was then a two-year veteran of the Long Beach police force. Suarez was subsequently indicted by a Cobb County grand jury on two felony aggravated battery counts but ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor.
Despite the criminal proceedings in Georgia, Suarez returned to active duty in California. For nearly seven years, Lippelt monitored public employee salary databases, observing that the officer remained on the municipal payroll. Meanwhile, the conviction was never flagged to criminal defendants or prosecutors within the Los Angeles County judicial system.
The issue broke into open court during proceedings involving Lonnie Jacobs, a 47-year-old defendant represented by attorney Scott Sanders. Jacobs is facing felony charges after officers allegedly discovered a small bag of cocaine in his sock following a March 2025 arrest. Sanders filed motions in Los Angeles Superior Court arguing that Suarez’s undisclosed criminal record constitutes critical exculpatory evidence.
Constitutional Obligations and the Brady Disclosure Standard
Under the landmark 1963 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brady v. Maryland, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors hold an affirmative legal duty to disclose material evidence favorable to a defendant. In legal filings submitted September 8, Sanders argued that an assault involving force likely to cause great bodily injury qualifies as a crime of moral turpitude.
Consequently, information regarding Suarez’s arrest and conviction should have been accessible to defense counsel to impeach the officer’s credibility as a witness and challenge the legitimacy of evidence collected across his active tenure. Summer Lacey, the criminal justice and police practices director at the ACLU of Southern California, characterized the situation as deeply problematic for both individual litigants and community trust.
The LBPD issued a formal statement addressing the controversy, noting that the agency treats allegations of misconduct seriously. “If the department becomes aware of a criminal investigation or a policy violation involving an employee, an investigation is conducted into the matter,” the statement read, adding that personnel records are managed in accordance with applicable laws.
Institutional Vulnerabilities and Comparative Judicial Metrics
| Metric / Detail | Reported Value / Fact |
|---|---|
| Officer Tenure at Incident | 2 Years (LBPD Officer Erik Suarez) |
| Initial Georgia Charges | Two counts of felony aggravated battery (Cobb County) |
| Concealment Timeline | August 2019 arrest to June 2026 resignation |
| Current Legal Challenge | Motions filed September 8 by attorney Scott Sanders |
The systemic implications extend well beyond a single low-level drug prosecution. Because Suarez participated in numerous arrests over nearly seven years following his Georgia conviction, defense teams across Los Angeles County are evaluating whether similar non-disclosures compromised due process rights in other dockets.
As litigation proceeds in Los Angeles Superior Court, judicial scrutiny remains fixed on whether the LBPD will be compelled to release comprehensive personnel records detailing knowledge of the out-of-state prosecution.
