Attorney Dragged From Court Says He May Sue

A deputy public defender who was dragged from a hearing and pushed through a door by two police officers after a judge asked them to bring him to another courtroom said Tuesday he has retained an attorney for possible legal action.

Van Nuys Deputy Public Defender Howard C. Waco said he might file a lawsuit against Officers Nicholas Titiriga and Gregory Baltad and Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Raymond T. Mireles.

The 24-year-veteran prosecutor said he also will file complaints with police and judicial authorities over the conduct of Mireles and the officers.

“I want to see that this sort of thing never happens again,” said Waco, speaking by telephone from his home. “The system went amok--when someone from the judiciary calls out the goon squad to come get you, you’re in trouble.

“I was shocked, embarrassed and now I’m sort of angry that the system could turn on me like that.”

Waco said the bruised leg he suffered in the incident had kept him home in bed, where he was busy studying pending court cases.

The two officers are already facing contempt of court charges in a hearing scheduled to resume Nov. 17 before Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Alan B. Haber, in whose courtroom Waco was when the incident occurred. The hearing was hastily convened Monday but was continued to give Mireles and the officers time to consult attorneys.

The two officers forcibly removed the protesting deputy defender from Haber’s courtroom Monday morning after Mireles asked the officers to bring Waco to him. Mireles needed Waco to discuss the scheduling of a legal hearing in which Waco was the defense attorney, according to several witnesses who testified at the contempt hearing.

Waco testified at the hearing that he told the officers he was busy with another matter. Told by the officers that Waco would not come, the judge asked them to go get him, adding jokingly: “Bring me a piece” or “body part” of Waco, other witnesses said.