Alleges Humiliation for Treatment in 1980 in Newport Beach : Officer Suing ACLU Gets His Day in Court

Newport Beach Police Sgt. Richard Long’s seven-year court battle against the American Civil Liberties Union finally went before a jury for opening statements Tuesday.

On Oct. 11, 1980, Long, then the department’s community relations officer and official spokesman, went to an ACLU legislative conference at Newport Beach High School to discuss police spying, among other topics. He said he was thrown out of the meeting, humiliated and tormented.

The ACLU filed a lawsuit in November charging the Newport Beach police and Chief Charles Gross with infiltrating its meetings and violating its civil rights. Long countered by suing the ACLU in July, 1981, asking for $250,000 damages for emotional distress he said resulted from his treatment at the meeting.

In May, 1986, the board of the ACLU of Southern California offered to settle Long’s suit by contributing $1,000 to sponsor an essay contest for high school students, ACLU co-counsel Meir Westreich said Tuesday.

Long’s attorney, Jeffery M. Epstein, said Long rejected the settlement because the essay topic was to be police community relations as they relate to the Bill of Rights, and Long wanted no reference to the Bill of Rights in the contest.

In August, 1986, the ACLU’s suit was thrown out of court.

Long’s case is finally before the courts.

In opening statements, Epstein depicted Long as a conscientious officer who went to the conference to fulfill his duty as the bridge between the community and the police.

But when ACLU attorneys and conference participants recognized him as a police officer out of uniform, they “not only wanted to force him out of the meeting but wanted to force him out in such a way that would cause emotional distress,” Epstein said.

He added that he would prove their actions “had the desired effect.”

Because Newport Beach residents began questioning Long’s motives, Epstein said, Long lost their trust and could not perform his job, causing even more emotional distress.

“This organization (the ACLU) is one that promotes civil rights,” Epstein said. “But they took no consideration of the civil rights of Richard Long.”

The ACLU’s chief counsel, Robin Meadow, said that Long’s treatment at the conference just wasn’t that bad and that there was no physical contact.

Rees Lloyd, then a staff attorney of the ACLU foundation, did not harass Long, as alleged, but merely went out of the conference hall with him to discuss why he was there, Meadow said.

After they talked, Lloyd asked Long to come back to the conference, Meadow said, but Long declined.

“They shook hands, exchanged business cards and parted ways,” Meadow said.

The trial will reconvene Thursday before Superior Court Judge Henry T. Moore.

Long would not comment on the case until testimony is completed. He said his seven-year wait for a court date was a “ridiculous testimony about our judicial system.”

Long resigned as a community relations officer in 1981 to become a patrol officer, then was promoted to sergeant in 1983.