Former Aide to Police Chief Sues Over Diary

A former San Diego police officer has sued attorney Patrick J. Thistle for making public a diary that documented how she ran numerous personal errands for Police Chief Bill Kolender.

Jeanne Taylor’s diary was partly responsible for City Manager John Lockwood’s decision in November to formally reprimand Kolender for fixing traffic tickets for friends and relatives and for improperly using city employees and equipment for personal benefit.

No Publicity Wanted

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Superior Court, Taylor alleges that Thistle released her diary to the press even though the attorney knew she did not want any publicity.

The suit seeks punitive damages of at least $625,000 plus unspecified general and special damages.

“Mr. Thistle’s actions also placed Ms. Taylor in a false light in the public eye,” the suit charges. “Many of her friends and family on the police force labeled her a ‘snitch’ and accused her of ‘finking on the chief.’ ”

Thistle, who said he was surprised by the suit, said Taylor was “fully aware of what was going on” when the diary was included in a file sent to the city Civil Service Commission.

“I like Jeanne Taylor as a person,” Thistle said. “I thought she was doing the right thing. I represented her for 10 years through thick and thin. I learned to communicate with her early on, and there was no doubt in my mind” that she wanted to release the diary.

The suit, filed by attorney Abby Silverman, accuses Thistle of legal malpractice, invasion of privacy and “intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.”

Taylor could not be reached for comment.

1978 Injury

Kolender said Wednesday that he hopes Taylor “collects” on her suit. The chief described Taylor as “a very nice person who volunteered for most of the things that she talked about” in her diary.

Taylor worked for the Police Department for 10 years before she retired last year on disability because of a knee injury she suffered in 1978 when she fell through a porch. She worked a light-duty position in Kolender’s office in 1980 and ‘81, but she remained armed and in uniform.

Taylor was assigned to the chief’s office to guard against hostile visitors and to answer telephone calls. But she was used as a gofer by Kolender and his assistants on a nearly daily basis for two years, according to her diary. She said she picked up birthday cards, sports equipment, popcorn, coffee cups and laundry.

The former officer wrote in her diary that, at Kolender’s bidding, she drove his wife, Lois, to a date; picked up the chief’s Halloween costume; delivered wedding and bar mitzvah gifts to Kolender’s family and friends; picked up Charger tickets for his friends; went Christmas shopping for Kolender, and used a police van to pick up a painting of Kolender.

The suit claims that Thistle directed Taylor to keep a log of her daily tasks at the Police Department for use in her disability hearings. But Thistle said Wednesday that he first learned of the diary when Taylor brought it to his law office.

Though Taylor’s diary was not used in her disability hearings, it was included in a voluminous complaint filed in November by Thistle with the Civil Service Commission. Hoping to show that the Police Department harasses officers who pursue disability claims, Thistle submitted the 58-page diary along with cases involving other officers.

“Jeanne Taylor was wholeheartedly supportive of the inclusion of this diary in that petition,” Thistle said. “The fact that her husband still worked for the department seemed to be her only concern and we allayed that at great length.”

The lawsuit alleges that Taylor “received a shock” when she saw her name and photograph on the front pages of local newspapers.

‘Shunned by Friends’

“Ms. Taylor has many relatives and friends living locally who saw the ensuing newspaper articles about her diary,” the suit says. “Many of her friends and relatives work for the Police Department. Following this publicity, she was shunned by friends and relatives, embarrassed, humiliated and physically and mentally distressed.”

Silverman, Taylor’s attorney, said in an interview Wednesday that his client “isn’t the kind of person who snitches on people.”

Silverman claimed that Thistle violated attorney-client confidentiality when he publicly disclosed details of Taylor’s diary that had only been discussed between the two.

Taylor, however, has discussed the contents of the diary at length with a Times reporter. When asked about those interviews, Silverman responded, “I think she would deny that she ever discussed that diary with anyone but her lawyer.”

Silverman said she expected the suit to go to trial within a year.