San Diego

A former police lieutenant testified Monday that Police Agent Donovan Jacobs was a “hothead” and “had a chip on his shoulder.”

Doyle Wheeler testified as the 23rd defense witness in the 10-week-old retrial of Sagon Penn, who is charged with attempted manslaughter in the wounding of Jacobs, manslaughter in the death of Police Agent Thomas Riggs, and attempted murder in the wounding of civilian ride-along Sarah Pina-Ruiz.

“I felt he (Jacobs) was a hothead and had a chip on his shoulder,” said Wheeler, who retired from the San Diego Police Department in October, 1985.

“I’m not a friend of Officer Jacobs, I admit to that. I didn’t care for his attitude and demeanor,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said he refused to allow Jacobs to join his beach enforcement team and objected to Jacobs receiving an award for his performance as an officer.

He said he once saw Jacobs slam a black man’s face into a wall at a police station after the man was already handcuffed. “I felt he used excessive force,” Wheeler said.

Under cross-examination, Wheeler said it was true that he had received a five-day suspension from work as a result of a female officer’s complaint for sexual harassment.

Wheeler also said he had differences with his superiors over the police handling of the 1984 McDonald’s massacre in San Ysidro. He said he was told he would be fired if he aired his feelings.

The retrial recessed early Monday because of a juror’s illness. The case will resume today unless the juror is too ill to attend.