Claims Settled by L.A. County, City

I read with great interest “County Paying Millions to Settle Claims” (April 3). I have been personally involved in a case captioned Valentin vs. County of Los Angeles for 12 years, involving a false arrest and violation of civil rights of four plaintiffs.

In 1989, after two mandatory settlement conferences and a recommendation by a very experienced jurist that the county pay an aggregate sum of $2 million to these plaintiffs, the county offered a paltry $40,000. The case proceeded to a court trial and the judge awarded the plaintiffs $3.7 million plus $2 million for attorneys’ fees, totaling the sum of $5.7 million. The county appealed.

After the Court of Appeal affirm- ed the case on the issue of liability and damages, but reversed the case in full on the grounds that the county had been denied its fundamental right to a jury trial, the case was remanded for a new trial. In the interim, the county offered zero.

The case was tried last year before a jury. The jury awarded the plaintiffs and their lawyers the aggregate sum of $11.2 million. The county appealed. Now, I have just received notice from the Court of Appeal that the costs of the transcript alone will cost the county, or actually the taxpayers, the sum of $22,000. Where does it stop?

Considering the fiscal problems of the county, how much and for how long must the taxpayers pay for the arrogance and obstinateness of the county bureaucrats in charge of these claims?

EDUARDO M. MADRID

Diamond Bar

* Mere words cannot or will not describe my disgust at reading of the $3.5-million settlement in the “gun-wielding felon” case (April 3). That a jury had earlier awarded $4.9 million is far, far beyond comprehension. What is happening here?

LARRY CREWS

Escondido