Mat Mustard

  20 posts

  Jan 21, 2022

Vallejo City Council to get update on $10M VPOA lawsuit

Michael Nichelini, president of the city’s police union and a former police lieutenant, was fired last March after he was the subject of several internal investigations....

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  Jan 04, 2022

Ten years since Vallejo police’s deadliest year, $12.7 million has been paid to settle civil rights lawsuits

The city of Vallejo has paid $12.7 million in settlements in 23 civil rights lawsuits for incidents since Jan. 1, 2012....

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  Dec 21, 2021

Outside investigation of Vallejo detective Mat Mustard jeopardizes criminal prosecutions

“This investigation did not find Sgt. Mustard’s account as to these issues credible,” the report states....

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  Jul 27, 2020

For Vallejo officers who use force, a pattern of promotions and awards

Of 45 officers whose actions over the last decade have led to monetary payouts in civil rights lawsuits, all but 15 have been promoted or received an award since the incident,...

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  Apr 02, 2020

The last trial in California

As the novel coronavirus spread in the state, a Solano County judge denied numerous motions to continue a troubled double kidnapping and rape case marred by allegations that a Vallejo police detective withheld exculpatory evidence....

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  Mar 11, 2020

'What will it take for you to call this a homicide?'

In California, a Vallejo detective and a Solano County prosecutor concealed exculpatory evidence from a man facing murder charges. They went on to face accusations of misconduct in other high-profile cases....

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  Dec 18, 2019

In Vallejo, police kill with near impunity

Since 2010, no Vallejo officer has been disciplined for using deadly force, despite multiple shootings of unarmed people—including a man holding a can of beer. And active police union leaders have been involved in the shooting investigations....

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  Jun 09, 2019

Expensive and Dangerous: Vallejo police may pay more per officer in civil rights cases than any other agency

From 2013-2018, Vallejo paid out $6,184,587 in civil rights cases. That amounts to $9,370 per officer per year, thousands of dollars more than other agencies nationwide....

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