Black Deputy Awarded $908,000 in Bias Suit

A Los Angeles County deputy sheriff who said he was barred for 15 years from fulfilling his dream of becoming a Harbor Patrol officer because he is black was awarded $908,000 Wednesday by a Los Angeles Superior Court jury.

James Craig Jr.’s long legal battle began in 1970 after he was fired by the Harbor Patrol on the last day of his probationary period. He tried again in 1979, but was denied the job in retaliation for his previous complaint, the Civil Service Commission later found.

In 1984, Craig filed suit alleging that the county had violated anti-discrimination laws by penalizing him for filing the original complaint. When the case finally came to trial this week, Judge Eric Younger ruled that the county was guilty of discrimination. He awarded Craig $78,000 in lost earnings and interest and asked the jury to assess damages for emotional distress. Craig’s lawyer, Gerald L. Kroll, said that Craig, now 57, was finally hired as a Harbor Patrol officer in 1985 and is assigned to Marina del Rey.