City Asks Judge to Throw Out Award to Zinzun

The city of Los Angeles and political activist Michael Zinzun were back in court Friday, arguing whether a jury acted properly in awarding the former Black Panther leader $3.8 million in his defamation and civil rights lawsuit against the city and Assistant Police Chief Robert L. Vernon.

Deputy City Atty. Mary House asked Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Berg to throw out the jury’s finding, order a new trial or reduce the award, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to justify a finding that Vernon and other city employees acted with malice. Zinzun’s attorney, Dan Stormer, argued that the city was changing its positions after the fact.

Berg said he had concerns over the jury’s action, but added: “I am not permitted to do anything but give full weight” to the jury’s assessment of the witnesses. He said he hoped to rule by Tuesday. Vernon used police computers in 1989 to obtain information about Zinzun, who was then running for a seat on the Pasadena City Council.