Wrong Door, Same Last Name: LAPD Faces Lawsuit Over SWAT Raid on Innocent Culver City Psychologist
- JB Quinnon
- May 1
- 2 min read
Danine Dean, a 48-year-old psychologist and long-time resident of Culver City’s historically Black Fox Hills neighborhood, is suing the Los Angeles Police Department after a SWAT team mistakenly raided her home in the early morning hours of November 13, 2024. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, alleges a grave civil rights violation that left Dean traumatized, her home ransacked, and her trust in law enforcement shaken.
According to court documents, Dean was alone at 4 a.m. when armed officers pounded on her door. She was handcuffed, barefoot in her pajamas, and detained outside for over an hour as officers searched her home. The trigger? A suspect with a similar last name — “Devante Dean” — who police believed might be related to or known by Dean or her son. She had never heard of him.
Dean claims officers never explained the probable cause for the search, and her lawyer, Ian Wallach, says they’ve been unable to obtain the affidavit behind the warrant — an unusual and concerning delay.
The City of Los Angeles has declined to comment due to pending litigation, and Det. Carlos Carrillo, named as the lead officer that night, has not responded to inquiries.
The LAPD is no stranger to legal fallout from mistaken raids. Public records show the department has paid over $2 million in settlements related to similar home raid incidents since 2018. This case follows growing public concern about racial profiling, warrant errors, and aggressive tactics used in SWAT deployments.
Dean, who has lived in the neighborhood for over two decades, now says her home feels unsafe. Her children are afraid to return, and she’s considering moving away from a community she once chose because of its welcoming, predominantly Black environment.
The psychological toll has been heavy. “I’ve been completely interrupted,” Dean told the Los Angeles Times. “It makes me very sad. I built so many memories here with my kids.”
This case adds to a national conversation around mistaken identity raids and racial bias in policing. In recent years, federal courts have begun hearing similar cases, such as the FBI’s wrongful 2017 raid of a home in Atlanta now heading to the Supreme Court.
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