South Pasadena: Footing the Lawsuit Bill

At the Oct. 19 South Pasadena City Council meeting, the mayor announced that the city would indemnify the ex-mayor Evelyn Fierro and two city commissioners for punitive damages awarded against them in the civil rights case initiated by former Mayor Lee Prentiss.

The 4-0 vote to absorb damages in the amount of $7,500 stated that “the acts were committed in good faith, without actual malice. . . .” The four council members witnessed, at best, an insignificant amount of testimony during the trial, which consumed several weeks.

The jury, on the other hand, heard every word of testimony during the courtroom encounter. The 11-1 vote to award punitive damages for malice was based on evidence presented, not on political correctness.

The City Council’s decision included their convoluted rationale that “an award on personal liability will tend to discourage qualified citizens from seeking to participate in the political process by serving on the council and city commissions.”

Conversely, I feel any award on personal liability for public officials who maliciously attempt to violate a person’s civil rights should be paid by the officials themselves. This would send a clear message to future public servants who might wish to become masters.

Ironically, at the same City Council meeting, our city spenders unanimously agreed to shell out $8,000 to purchase a secondhand car for use by the Police Department.

Are there misplaced values involved here? Should the City Council share with the community how they arrived at their conclusions to indemnify the officials (which were developed in secret session)? Does anybody care?

ROBERT O. COOK

South Pasadena