Background

On May 29, 2018, Plaintiff Onica Valle Cole (“Plaintiff” or “Cole”) filed a Complaint.

On January 8, 2019, Plaintiff filed the operative First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) against Defendants Cristina Sarabia (“Sarabia”), in her capacity as the Human Resources Director for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office and in her individual capacity, and the City of Los Angeles (collectively, “Defendants”) for: (1) slander per se, (2) slander per se, (3) slander per se, (4) slander per se, (5) battery, simple assault, and false imprisonment, (6) trespass to chattel/conversion, (7) intrusion into affairs, and (8) forgery, intentional infliction of emotion distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The operative complaint alleges that on May 30, 2017, Sarabia, acting within the course and scope of her duties as Director of Human Resources for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, assaulted Plaintiff by poking her fingers in Plaintiff’s face, battered Plaintiff by ripping a