Week in Review : MAJOR EVENTS, IMAGES AND PEOPLE IN ORANGE COUNTY NEWS : CITIES : New Trial Ordered in Harassment Case
A federal judge ordered a new trial in a lawsuit over alleged police harassment at a defunct gay bar in Garden Grove, overturning a $110,000 jury verdict in the case.
The new trial, granted last week by U.S. District Judge J. Spencer Letts in Los Angeles, was sought by the Police Department and six police officers, including Police Chief Francis (Frank) Kessler, who were defendants in the civil suit filed by owners of the Garden Grove bar.
On Jan. 12, a federal court jury ruled in favor of Don and Nancy McGuire, who had owned Mac’s Landing, a Garden Grove Boulevard bar frequented by gay customers.
The McGuires had alleged that police harassment frightened patrons away and caused “severe and irreparable economic harm.” Jurors agreed and awarded the couple $110,000.
Orange County gay leaders had considered last month’s verdict significant, saying it was a rare example of owners of a gay bar fighting the police.
Opened in November, 1984, Mac’s Landing closed June 1, 1985, after what the owners called a month of police harassment that included officers taking flash photographs of patrons entering and leaving, and discouraging customers by parking a police car for long periods in front of the tavern.
Judge Letts, in deciding to grant a new trial, set a pretrial hearing for May 29 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
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