If there’s wrongdoing, Natapoff adds, the need to cover it up creates a motive to commit more civil rights violations. In the Dekraai motion, Sanders details the case of Luis Vega, a 14-year-old accused of attempted murder. While he was incarcerated, informant Moriel told authorities that two inmates who were present during the crime said Vega hadn’t done it. One of them, Sergio Elizarraraz, claimed responsibility for the murder. Nonetheless, Vega remained imprisoned for 11 months after authorities had reason to think he was not guilty—and Moriel’s statement was never turned over to Vega’s attorney. In the Dekraai motion, Sanders says this was likely to avoid revealing that Moriel was an active informant.