BREA : Firm Hired to Defend City in Federal Suit

The City Council this week approved hiring a Los Angeles law firm to defend the city and 32 city employees, consultants and former and present council members in a federal suit filed by two residents.

The move, which was approved on a 4-1 vote, was necessary because City Atty. James L. Markman is named in the lawsuit, said City Manager Frank Benest, who also is named as a defendant.

“While we think that this action is without merit, we, of course, have to defend the city,” he said.

William M. Vega and his mother, Marina Vega, claim the city and other defendants conspired to illegally acquire Marina Vega’s Brea Boulevard properties for a highway widening and redevelopment project. They filed the suit Nov. 30 in U.S. District Court and are seeking more than $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million from each defendant in punitive damages.

The defendants’ actions “were malicious, reckless, oppressive and motivated by evil intent,” the suit states.

Jerry L. Steering of the Melvin Belli law firm in Beverly Hills is representing the Vegas in the lawsuit.

The law firm of Richards, Watson & Gershon will defend the city and the other defendants at a cost that could top $150,000 if the case goes to trial, Benest said.

Kathryn E. Wiser, the only current council member not named in the suit, cast the dissenting vote to hire the firm.

She said city officials and employees should be represented by separate counsel and that consultants, which were hired by the city, should be represented by someone else because of possible conflicts among the defendants.

“The city may have rights against the other parties,” she said.

But Benest said there is no conflict among the defendants and that hiring separate lawyers would double the cost. If a conflict is found, however, separate lawyers would then be recommended, he added.