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The LAPD officer who shot and killed 13-year-old Devin Brown was cleared — in secret. There's a new Rampart reforms watch group, plus items on Gail Berman, Steve Lopez, Seth Oster, a Villaraigosa school board endorsement and Bruce Feirstein on overused language. That and more inside the Morning Buzz — your first cut at the day's news.
Top stories
Police review board secretly defies LAPD commission
Steven Garcia, the officer who shot 13-year-old Devin Brown, was cleared of wrongdoing internally even though the police commission ruled the shooting out of policy. Dramatic change in procedure, says the Times: "For decades, the LAPD had heard evidence publicly when serious misconduct was alleged. Last summer, however, the California Supreme Court ruled that police officer personnel documents were not public records. Responding to that ruling — and over the objections of news organizations and civil libertarians — the LAPD moved to close its disciplinary hearings." LAT
Bratton appoints Rampart reforms advisory group
Former councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, Police Protective League president Bob Baker, police watcher Merrick Bobb, civil rights attorney Connie Rice and top LAPD command officers are on the panel. LAT
Politics
Ice melting under Gail Berman
Paramount Pictures President Gail Berman is expected to depart the studio this week with two more years on her contract, the LAT team of Claudia Eller and Meg James reports citing four sources.
Lauritzen stiffed by his club
Board of Education member Jon Lauritzen will have to run without the endorsement of the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley, of which he's a former board member. He fell short of the votes needed due to support for challenger Tamar Galatzan, who from all indications will have the backing of Mayor Villaraigosa. DN
One endorsement becomes official
Villaraigosa today will endorse Yolie Flores Aguilar in the 5th district school board race. Media op is in front of Huntington Park High School at 10 am. Then at 11:30 he'll be in City Hall to announce an executive directive that targets "exorbitant lawsuits" against the city.
Media
Desk-eye view
Steve Lopez has a window seat overlooking downtown's Big Dig for the LAPD headquarters, and plans to keep a close eye on the progress. With Tutor-Saliba on the job, somebody better.
This job is unrated
Former Screen Actors Guild communications chief Seth Oster starts Monday as executive VP for communications at the Motion Picture Association of America. He rejoins Bob Pisano, his boss at SAG who now is president of the ratings group. Variety
Noted
Cuts to the chase
In today's New York Observer, LA Observed contributor Bruce Feirstein nominates terms and cliches that should be dropped from use immediately. The newest is "surge."
L.A. in the hunt
The U.S. Olympic committee decided to make a bid for the 2016 games and will choose between Los Angeles and Chicago by April 14, David Davis says at SoCal Sports Observed.