The Los Angeles County Sheriff\u2019s Department has launched an internal affairs investigation into why a deputy acting as a bailiff detained and handcuffed a Superior Court spokeswoman today inside a downtown courtroom, officials said.<\/p>\n
Vania Stuelp, a deputy public information officer, was handcuffed after she refused to leave the area usually occupied by attorneys and would not follow the deputy\u2019s directions, said Steve Whitmore, a spokesman for the sheriff\u2019s department. Stuelp was not arrested, Whitmore said.<\/p>\n
Court was not in session at the time.<\/p>\n
An inquiry is underway and is being supervised by the county\u2019s Office of Independent Review. "It will answer questions such as why was she handcuffed in the first place," Whitmore said.<\/p>\n
Court officials declined to comment on the matter.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The incident occurred shortly before 9 a.m. when Stuelp became concerned that a French television crew was violating court regulations that prohibit filming in certain areas of the court, Whitmore said.<\/p>\n
Stuelp informed the crew they could not film in the courtroom and requested that they turn over the footage. <\/p>\n
"She walked into the well area," Whitmore said.<\/p>\n
A deputy district attorney objected to her presence, but Stuelp insisted she had the right to be there, he said. The prosecutor asked the deputy to deal with the issue.<\/p>\n
The deputy then tried to remove everyone from the court to the hallway to resolve the matter, Whitmore said.<\/p>\n
But Stuelp repeatedly refused to leave. The deputy then "put his hand on her arm to escort her out," Whitmore said.
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At that point, she was "detained, handcuffed and sat down in the court," Whitmore said.<\/p>\n
A sheriff’s sergeant arrived and recognized her as the court spokesperson and directed that she be released, Whitmore said. <\/p>\n
Later, Stuelp sought medical treatment, according to two different sources.<\/p>\n